In Another Life
by Firetoflame
Summary: What if the ruse the Cullen family used to blend in wasn't really a ruse at all. What if a terrible plane crash brought five orphaned teenagers into the care of Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife? How will their lives turn out as they help them find happiness and learn to live again? (All human...a little AU, with some Canon elements, cause we can't just forget about Bella, can we?)
1. Chapter 1

Doctor Carlisle Cullen leaned exhaustedly against the white semi-circle desk of the nurses' station as the hour hand hit nine o'clock and the sky fell into a seemingly never ending darkness on that humid, August night. He gripped his throbbing temples for half-a-second, desperately needing the moment to compose himself. It had been a long twelve hours and that was before the stretchers of wounded had started arriving at Los Angeles Presbyterian Hospital by the truck load.

With an exasperated sigh and a disappointed groan Carlisle had called his beautiful wife, Esme, postponing their plans for date night once again. She had been supportive as always and that's what he loved about her: the endless understanding and acceptance she supplied him with. He would definitely have to make it up to her. After about eight hours of sleep and a shower, of course.

But that would have to wait because the bodies were piling up and there was a traffic jam of stretchers blocking the ambulance bay. With a deep breath he forced himself in the direction of the chaos and quickly began triaging the patients in order of seriousness, sending those who would make it a few more hours into the ER to be examined and having others rushed up to a waiting operating room.

Carlisle had always thought medical school and residency had been the most stressful time of his life. The long hours, endless shifts, and constant bantering he received, even from the nurses, had made him question his career plans several times over the course of those years. But each time Carlisle felt the rush of the diagnosis and the thrill of saving another patient he knew why he was here. He wanted to help. He wanted to make a difference. And he couldn't help admit that he was good at it. He had been offered a job right out of medical school and now as a licensed physician he spent most of his time attending to patients in the ER.

However, tonight Doctor Compassion, as Esme like to call him when they were alone together, was running out of forced smiles and the phrase, 'everything is going to be okay' was seriously starting to sound like it had a death wish. Carlisle couldn't even force himself to choke out the simple words anymore without feeling as if he wielded a loaded gun.

The ER was testing his patience in the worst way and the problems were only just beginning. He was now running on his sixth cup of coffee (Sheila, the ER nurse supervisor, had switched him to decaf half way through his shift) and the end of this horrible night seemed to be nowhere in sight. He would have to ask Sheila to put another pot on in the break room if he had any hope of surviving this mess.

Carlisle was now expecting some of his colleagues to show up early, scratch that, he was hoping to God they showed up early, since the hospital was experiencing a high-stress emergency situation.

Carlisle had seen the horrific plan crash on the news. A passenger flight had gone down just outside of LA carrying at full capacity. The speculation right now was faulty wiring but Carlisle knew the investigation into what really brought the plane down would take months to sort through and by then the general public wouldn't care about it anymore.

Right now though, all Carlisle cared about was the fact that there were mass casualties and injuries by the dozens arriving every few minutes. He hadn't expected the ambulances to show up this quickly. They hadn't even had time to prepare, stocking the ER with supplies and clearing out less critical cases. It all kind of happened at once and the normal chaos of the ER collided with the intense scene of blood and body parts being pushed around the halls as if this was a serial killers mad house opposed to a place where people were supposed to be healed.

The ER was no longer just the emergency room, but a trauma center, separating the critically wounded from those who were stable: the living from dying, the dying from the dead.

Carlisle had never pronounced so many people dead in his life. He was sure tonight would haunt him for many years to come as the image of chalk pale skin and cold, lifeless fingers gripped the forefront of his mind. It replayed over and over again like a bad song stuck in his head.

Some of the people he couldn't even make out faces on for the fire had obliterated all recognizable features. Those ones were taken directly to the morgue. The coroner would have to have them identified through dental records in order to inform their families. Carlisle had written Jane Doe and John Doe on so many death certificates and charts tonight as people without any idea who they were, were rushed through the doors with broken bones, missing limbs, contusions, concussions, critical internal bleeding…the list was endless, as was the screaming. The pain was tangible in the air. With each moan and shudder, each high pitched shriek, each sobbing, dying breath Carlisle could feel the pain eating away at his limbs, making his muscles heavy. The hurt he couldn't seem to stop was making him weary.

And the ambulances weren't stopping either. It had been flashing red outside the ER windows for the past three hours. Eventually Carlisle could no longer distinguish the wail of the sirens from the screams of the broken bodies that surrounded him at every turn of a corner.

"Doctor," one of the nurses who had been pulled off the maternity ward to provide an extra set of hands, called to him. His head snapped up immediately, jumping back to reality, alert and attentive as ever, despite the red lines that leeched into his eyes and the purple bags that were forming under them like heavy, weighted reminders he would have to bear for his shortcomings.

For his failures.

How many would die on his watch tonight?

How many would he be able to save?

How many had taken their last breaths in his care?

Carlisle couldn't think about it anymore. When he did his hands would tremble with uncertainty and that would help no one.

"The patient's coding again," the nurse spoke urgently, a manual ventilator clasped tightly in her gloved hand.

Carlisle rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand, kneading at the tension. He took his clip board off the desk and pulled a pen from his pocket. This was the third time the patient had, for all intents and purposes, died on the table. He wasn't coming back from this and Carlisle knew it. He followed the nurse into the room, a silent prayer on his lips.

Carlisle had always been a man of faith, but tonight he didn't feel as though he was on speaking terms with God, a least, out loud.

The patient's injuries were severe and his mind was too far gone as Carlisle watched the man's eyes roll back in his head. They tried for thirteen minutes to revive him, pumping electrical currents into his chest with a defibrillator, before Carlisle called it.

Time.

It had finally stopped for this man. And Carlisle resented that, even as he wrote the numbers and signed his name. He felt like the incarnation of death himself, approving the absence of this man's life on Earth with a flick of his wrist and a swish of the ball point pen. Carlisle felt hollow, the emptiness making his heart echo in his ears, only reminding him with a sick irony that he was alive and his patient was not.

Time of death.

9:27 PM

For the first time that night Carlisle's life had been altered, changed forever in a way he would never imagine; only he didn't know it yet.

Carlisle let the old man go peacefully, closing his eyelids when the last residual shudder from the shock escaped him.

"Do we know his name?" Carlisle choked out, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes. It was too much, the death and carnage were too much, even for a seasoned doctor to handle.

"Edward Masen Sr.," the nurse spoke confidently. "His son is asleep in the next room. They just gave him a shot of morphine. He has a concussion and a dislocated shoulder. Other than that he seems to have been pretty lucky."

"There was nothing lucky about being on that plane," Carlisle noted solemnly as he filled out the paperwork. It seemed that there was always more to do when he lost a patient than when he saved one, as if celebrating a life saved was not as worthy of documentation.

"I didn't mean that," the nurse began at once.

"I know," he said, forcing out one of the few smiles he had left. He pulled the white sheets over Mr. Masen's face so the porter would know the deceased was to be taken to the morgue. "Find me when the boy wakes," Carlisle asked politely. "I'll tell the boy about his father then. Let him enjoy the few happy hours of sleep the meds will give him before we destroy his world even more."

"I will, thank you doctor for your help," the nurse said with a sad smile of her own as Carlisle left, defeated once again in his fight for life by another patient who had been claimed by death.


	2. Chapter 2

Carlisle moved rhythmically from room to room and from curtain to curtain, stitching, bandaging, ordering medication and checking vital signs as the night wore on into early morning. There was no relief with the changing of the days, only the reminder that his work was far from done.

These people were far from being okay, many of them still on the brink of death.

At this very moment, most of the severe victims had already been moved to the ICU, others were undergoing surgery. Those were the lucky ones. The less fortunate were crammed in hallways or stacked side by side in waiting rooms and triage areas.

That's why it didn't surprise Carlisle, as sad as it was, when he rounded on several rooms only to find that the patients had passed away without anyone noticing. He couldn't blame the staff though. They were already stretched to their limits, even with the extra help that had arrived a few hours earlier. It was all they could do to keep the patients that would survive the next forty eight hours content and comfortable.

There was however, one room he wished he had gotten to a little earlier, only for the sake of comforting the one left behind. Death was a hard thing to face, but even more so when you watched it alone and helpless.

A young woman sat on the end of her hospital bed, her hands gripping the plastic railings until her knuckles turned white. She stared, wide-eyed and horror-stricken at the couple in the beds across the room. They both lay silently, unmoving and Carlisle knew. They were gone.

He walked slowly towards the beds where the man and woman now slept peacefully in their eternal dreams. He checked for a pulse on both battered bodies, which had gone cold, and wasn't surprised that he felt nothing. With sadness in his heart he checked their charts.

William and Lillian Hale.

By the resemblance, Carlisle assumed they were related to the girl in bed across the room. She had long, golden blonde hair like the woman and bright blue eyes like the man. Even through the blood and sweat and dirt Carlisle could tell the girl was very beautiful, striking even, and she couldn't be more than sixteen.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Carlisle said picking up the chart belonging to the girl. "Miss Hale?" he added for confirmation.

"Rosalie," she muttered. She looked down, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Were these your parents, Rosalie?" he asked gently, nodding to the beds behind him.

Rosalie nodded with a shudder, but she didn't cry. It was astonishing and troublesome all at the same time. She didn't scream and break down like every other family member Carlisle had encountered over the night and that was more concerning to him than the gash across her forehead that was bleeding profusely. Perhaps she was in shock, or else there could be some sort of internal brain injury.

"Rosalie, has anyone been in to check you yet?" Carlisle asked. He obviously knew no one had. But he was checking her mental status. He needed to know if there was a possible concussion. Internal bruising was his greatest concern with the crash victims.

"No," Rosalie mumbled. Her eyes drifted along the floor, focusing on Carlisle's shoes, his hands, the equipment that had been forced against the wall to make room for the extra beds, but never his face. She looked submissive, as if she was afraid to meet his eyes.

"Rosalie, can you tell me where you are?" Carlisle asked, sitting on the edge of her bed. Rosalie seemed to cringe away from him, recoiling from his hands as he took her wrist to check her radial pulse. He held onto her wrist carefully, as he also counted her respirations, waiting for her to answer. He noticed she shuddered slightly when she exhaled: possibly a fractured rib.

"At the hospital," she whispered.

"And can you tell me why you are here?"

"There was a plane crash," she said simply, her eyes flickering over to the two stone cold bodies across the room again.

"Do you know what day it is?"

She looked around the room for a clock, finding the small, round, plastic face on the wall above the door. She noted the horrific night of one day had shifted into the early morning of the next, without warning. "Saturday," she murmured. "I had a cheerleading competition tomorrow. We were on a connecting flight to Washington and then to Tampa," she gulped as she spoke, her voice falling to the tiniest hint of a whisper.

"I just have one more question, dear," Carlisle spoke softly. "How old are you?"

Rosalie straightened a little, something connecting in her mind. A memory perhaps.

"I just turned sixteen last week," she said. Her eyes met his for the briefest moment before she cringed as if expecting retaliation for her wandering eyes. Carlisle grimaced. Her behaviour was concerning but right now he had to address her physical injuries. Rosalie seemed to be cognitive to person, place, and time, so he doubted she had a concussion, but he opted to order a full body scan anyway. It was amazing what the human body could hide when it was in shock. The ability for self-preservation was remarkable.

"Rosalie," Carlisle said resting his hand against her knee, then moving to unwrap a gauze pad that he then taped carefully to her forehead. "I am ordering some tests for you. A porter will be by to take you down to radiology. When they are finished they will bring you back here. Once you are settled I will be by to stitch up your forehead, okay?"

Rosalie's hand automatically travelled towards the gash that he had covered as if noticing the pain for the first time. Her hands felt the hot sticky goo that was her own blood and she gasped. Her hands shook violently but then the girl seemed to compose herself.

"Will they still be here?" Rosalie asked gesturing across the room with trembling fingers. The expected longing and sadness you would expect a sixteen year old to have for her parents, especially after a tragedy that had left them both dead, was completely void in Rosalie's tone. Instead Carlisle detected malice and hatred when Rosalie spoke the word _they_.

"I will have the bodies removed, if it is easier on you," Carlisle offered. He didn't know where they would be moved to. The morgue was full, brimming to the top with lifeless corpses, but if it made the girl more comfortable he would make it happen. For some reason Carlisle had the impression that Rosalie's life was less than picture perfect before the plane crash, since she was obviously harboring a lot of anger towards her dead parents. He didn't want to put more stress on her then she was already experiencing. He knew it was only a matter of time before she broke down. And knowing what he did of PTSD and other traumatic behaviour, it was not going to be a pretty sight.

"Thank you doctor," Rosalie said simply, releasing a shaky breath of relief.

Carlisle nodded and offered the girl his first genuine smile of the night. He wasn't sure she saw it though because her head was turned towards the floor again, casting her gaze far away from his.

"Carlisle, here are the results of the scan you ordered on Miss Hale," Kevin, one of the new radiologists, said eagerly, rushing to the doctor's side. Carlisle had paused for one second, savouring the cup of coffee he now held in his hands. Technically it was a new day, so Sheila couldn't harp on him anymore about having a caffeine overdose.

Immediately Carlisle ducked into an empty lab room and flipped the backlight on. He clipped the scans against the light, holding the paper cup of coffee between his teeth.

Carlisle sighed unhappily as his earlier suspicion was confirmed.

"Damn," was the first word out of Kevin's mouth, as he saw the breaks that covered the girl's ribs and arms. There were faint fracture lines across her collar bone and left fibula as well.

"She's pretty banged up, huh?" Kevin stated as his eyes roamed the scans.

Carlisle squinted, quickly determining fresh breaks from old ones. He knew what Kevin was thinking but the sad fact was that most of these injuries were actually already healed. But he was young, called in on overtime because of the crash and was still learning the ropes. With time he would be able to distinguish the difference.

"Well, see Kevin, these over here are all old breaks and fractures," Carlisle said gesturing to the girl's arms and legs. His hands drifted along the collar bone which also had healed fractures and then to the ribs. There was a fresh break in the ninth intercostal rib on the girl's right side, but Carlisle had the sinking feeling that the break happened long before the plane crash.

"Well if she didn't get them from the crash, what happened to her?" Kevin asked, his voice faltering slightly. The same realization was dawning on him that had already hit Carlisle.

"Hello again, Rosalie," Carlisle said, looking at the girl curled up in the bed. Her eyes seemed lost but her face was set, as if fighting the sleep that was tugging on her consciousness. She had pulled her long hair back into a ponytail, showing off her high cheek bones. Carlisle saw her flinch slightly but then sit up, squaring her shoulders as if someone had told her time and time again not to let people see her cry. Not to let people see her hurting.

Carlisle knew she was in more pain than she was letting on. With a broken rib and a head wound she should be crying, if not screaming for drugs, but the girl bit her bottom lip and kept her eyes averted from his gaze.

She was being brave. Carlisle didn't know who she was trying to please anymore, but obviously these were habits from her previous life, the one before the plane crash. She carried herself with a silent kind of grace. He knew then that she would never ask for pain medication. She would never tell him anything was hurting. She would never ask for help: because that had probably been beaten into her for a very long time. And Carlisle hated to admit it but by the way Rosalie reacted in his presence, as if waiting for him to lash out and strike her, Carlisle knew it had been her father who had abused her.

"How are you feeling?" he inquired as he sat next to her again.

"Fine," Rosalie muttered. She was lying. "A little tired I guess." She gave a noncommittal shrug. Carlisle pulled an IV cart next to her side and got to work as he unravelled the tube he would feed into her hand, all while watching her sad eyes search the window outside. It was dark, but you could hear the rain pattering lightly against the glass.

All Carlisle wanted to do was reach out and hug her. She needed someone to tell her that everything was going to be okay, that no one was ever going to be able to hurt her again. But he couldn't, not because he didn't want to, but because he would probably make her feel worse. Victims like Rosalie often blamed themselves for what happened to them. She would constantly wonder if she had been a better daughter than maybe things would have been different. Maybe her father wouldn't have hit her, and maybe her mother would have stood up for her.

It was not her fault. None of what happened to her was her fault but Carlisle wouldn't be able to heal the mental and emotional wounds in one night. It would take patience and time, both of which Carlisle was willing to devote to the girl, when she was ready. For right now she would suffer that part of her journey in silence as Carlisle worked tirelessly to heal the physical damage that covered her small and vulnerable body.

He took a suture kit from his pocket and placed the instruments on the bedside table. Rosalie's eyes flickered nervously to the needle Carlisle had placed there.

"I'm going to stitch that cut on your forehead now," Carlisle explained calmly. "I'll give you a local anesthetic. You shouldn't feel anything more than some gentle pulling and tugging."

Rosalie grimaced.

Carlisle chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm very good. You won't even have a scar."

Rosalie jerked her head slightly as if approving. When Carlisle had finished stitching and cleaning the cut, he rewrapped a clean gauze pad over it to prevent her from accidently scratching the area and opening the sutures.

"Rosalie, your scans show a small break on your ninth intercostal rib on the right side of your body. I'd like to check it out if that's okay and then I'll wrap your torso so it heals properly."

Rosalie snapped her head up to meet his eyes and in them Carlisle saw fear, billowing swirls of fear. She started to twist and untwist her hands in the thin white hospital sheets that she covered her legs with.

"I can get a female doctor for you instead, but you really need to be looked at," Carlisle spoke. His words were barely a whisper.

"It's not that," Rosalie said sheepishly. Carlisle knew what she meant. She wasn't nervous about him checking her because he was a male doctor, it was because she always hid her injuries from people and now he was going to see the things her father did to her.

Slowly Rosalie lied back and turned on her side and Carlisle moved her hospital gown to reveal the area, about mid abdomen, where her ninth and tenth intercostal ribs were. He saw what he had expected. His fingers trailed lightly over the bruises, the old bruises that were healing slowly, confirming that the injury had been caused before the plane crash. He felt her sharp intake of breath as he touched a tender area.

"Sorry," Carlisle murmured watching the girl.

Her face was dead, void of any emotion. It was probably the same mask she wore when her father hit her. The one that protected her from revealing how she really felt.

"How did this happen?" Carlisle asked lightly.

Rosalie's eyes scrunched up. He knew she assumed he would think it was an injury from the crash.

Carlisle leaned closer to her. "The bruises are healed too much to have come from the crash, Rosalie."

The girl swallowed hard, but her lips didn't move. She was holding back. Holding back the hurt and pain. She was trying to protect herself.

"Did you have an accident?" Carlisle pressed. He needed her to confirm the suspicions. Without that he would never be able to treat her properly. "Did it happen at a cheerleading practice?" he tried a different approach.

"No," Rosalie said with a quiver to her voice.

"Rosalie, I want to help you, but I can't if you don't tell me what happened."

She bit her bottom lip and her eyes fell to the floor. "What does it matter now, they're dead."

Carlisle nodded his head. It was enough. In an offhandish way Rosalie had confirmed what he already knew.

"I'm really tired right now, Doctor Cullen. I think I'd like to rest," the girl managed to choke out.

Carlisle let his hand rest on her head for a minute, feeling a pang of hatred towards her father, as Rosalie shuddered under his touch. How could anyone ever hurt someone so innocent; something so good and precious? It was disgusting. The waves of anger that rolled through him were incredible and Carlisle couldn't help but feel that it was good the man was dead because if not he may have killed Mr. Hale himself.

For the second time after the horrific accident, Carlisle's life altered in a profound way, but always consumed with his work, he again failed to realize.

"Okay, Rosalie," Carlisle spoke when he had composed himself. "I'll have a nurse give you something for the pain."

Carlisle left feeling beaten. If only the medicine could help ease all her pain, he would feel like a better doctor.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, are you a doctor?" a disgruntled looking paramedic asked as he rolled a stretcher behind him. There was a black body bag on the stretcher zipped to the top.

_Not again_, Carlisle thought to himself as he fought his way through the busy hall to where the paramedic had stopped.

"This guy's gone, lost him on the way. Can you pronounce him for me so I can get rid of him? I've got a field full off people that still need medical attention." The paramedic sounded exhausted and slightly perturbed by the situation.

Carlisle was slightly taken aback at the paramedics tone. He understood the pressure and the stress, but this young man had still been a person. He deserved more respect than that. He was not an object to be casually thrown aside, to be disposed of.

"What's his name?" Carlisle asked, gripping the metal zipper in his hand.

"No idea, most people have no ID," the paramedic said, shrugging impatiently.

Carlisle nodded. Each click of the zipper teeth unclenching made his stomach drop. He saw pale skin and blond waves of hair. It looked as if it fell just above the boy's shoulders. His eyes were closed. He looked peaceful, but as Carlisle pulled the zipper over his mouth he felt a small gust of air.

Immediately Carlisle dropped his ear to the boy's mouth and nose, listening for breath sounds. He placed his fingers against the jugular vein, feeling for a pulse. He could feel both the breath sounds and the pulse. They were weak, but steady.

Carlisle took the clipboard hastily from the paramedic. "This boy is now a patient. He is very much alive," Carlisle said angrily. It wasn't going to do any good sending the victims that were still alive to the morgue. He knew the hospital was running out of room, people lay all over the halls in makeshift stretchers, but really? The reality of these people surviving was only as good as the care they received from medical professionals.

"Wait…how?" the paramedic asked blankly. Carlisle silently wondered how many others the paramedic had already dropped off in body bags?

Carlisle opened the boy's mouth and peered inside with his flashlight. There were red, raw smoke burns on his throat. "Smoke inhalation, someone get me an intubation tube!" Carlisle yelled as he saw a free nurse dash towards the supply cart. "You've been suffocating him," Carlisle said through gritted teeth.

"Man, I'm sorry," the paramedic began.

Carlisle looked up at him, but there was no sympathy in his expression.

"We're all tired, if you can't do your job then clock out. These people have already been through enough, we don't need to be making mistakes like this!"

The paramedic nodded stupidly, shocked into silence and eventually turned on his heel as Carlisle began threading the intubation tube into the boy's throat to help him breath. It took him two tries but he finally felt the tube slide down the trachea.

Carlisle looked at the nurse beside him, really taking in her expression for the first time. Sheila, oh thank God it was a familiar face. There were so many people running around it looked like a zoo.

"Sheila, can you take this young man up to room 13A, we're running out of space. There is already a young lady in there but I don't think she'll mind. Start an IV, put him on ninety-five percent oxygen and have me paged if anything changes or if he wakes up."

"Sure thing, Doctor Cullen," Sheila said, taking the head of the stretcher and rolling it down the hall.

_Thank God_, Carlisle thought. That one had been _too_ close.

"Oh, Doctor Cullen, Edward Masen Jr. is up now. He's asking to see his father," Shelia's face turned into a defeated grimace.

Things just kept going from bad to worse.

Carlisle paused outside the door of the private room where Edward Masen Jr. sat teary eyed. Someone had already beaten Carlisle to the news. He hoped whoever it was had been gentle, but knowing the behaviour of most of the staff right now it had probably been direct and to the point.

Now he no longer had to be the one to deliver the devastating blow, but he still felt the need to offer his condolences. He had done that a lot over the past several hours. I'm sorry for your loss. I can't even begin to understand what you are going through. If there is anything the hospital can do please let us know.

But for some reason it didn't feel like enough this time. He wasn't talking to an adult. This was a boy, a kid, a sixteen year old teenager who needed his family now more than ever but he was completely and utterly alone.

"Carlisle," he heard someone say. He turned his head to see Jodi, one of the other full time nurses that often worked with him in the ER.

"Hello, Jodi," he sighed dropping his hands to his hips. His head fell as he gratefully took the distraction to postpone the inevitable conversation he felt he had to have with the boy.

"I know this is a bad time, but we need the space Carlisle. We need to bunk him in with some of the other less serious victims."

Carlisle nodded. "When I'm done I'll have him moved to 13A, there's room in there."

Jodi listened as she wrote the room assignment on the boy's chart.

Carlisle looked at her face; he could sense there was more.

"I know it's still kind of early, but you should probably think about contacting Janice from child services."

Carlisle looked at her confused. She sighed desolately.

"His father is dead and his mother was on the plane as well. Since we haven't identified her yet, I assume she's among the dead."

"Doesn't he have any other family?"

Jodi shrugged awkwardly. "He told me about a cousin in Britain. I've already been on the phone with the man. He's a nice guy and everything, but the family was estranged and he's just not prepared to take on a teenager that just lost both his parents."

Carlisle nodded. This conversation was just looking worse and worse. This boy's life was crumbling around him and he was still trying to process the death of his parents.

"He said he was sorry for the kid, but that he couldn't do anything. There are no other living relatives that can take him. Once the hospital discharges him, he won't have anywhere to go. We need to involve Janice as soon as possible."

"You're right. There will probably be more. There are more dead than there are living coming through the front doors right now. Most likely other children will be orphaned by the crash."

"Yes," Jodi agreed.

"I'll talk to him and tell him we are moving rooms. I think the rest can wait until tomorrow. He has enough to deal with right now."

"I think that's wise Doctor Cullen. Now you better go in there. The longer you wait the harder it'll get."

"It's already too hard," Carlisle noted, but pushed his hand against the door anyway and felt himself drift into the unhappy bubble.

"Hello, Edward," Carlisle said courteously. He didn't smile at the boy because he felt it would be out of place. This was not a happy meeting and they both knew that. Carlisle was just being considerate of the information Edward just received.

"Good evening, Doctor Cullen," Edward said glancing at the doctor's name tag. "Or perhaps I should say good morning," Edward said again, seeing the watch on Carlisle's wrist light up to show 2:33AM.

"I just wanted to tell you how very sorry I am for your loss," Carlisle forced the words out, feeling a horrible pain wash through his body as he looked at the broken hearted face of the boy.

"You were the Doctor who treated my father, I presume," Edward stated evenly. Carlisle could hear the tears he was trying to choke back.

"I was," Carlisle confirmed.

"And you did absolutely everything in your power to try and save his life?" Edward asked.

"We did. His injuries were just too severe. He fought hard, but in the end there was just too much damage for his body to handle. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Edward choked out. "Thank you for everything you did for him. I'm grateful to you for trying."

Edward broke down then as a fresh wave of tears leaked silently from his eyes. Carlisle placed his hand gently on the boys shoulder and was surprised when he felt Edward lean against him for support. They stayed like that for several long minutes. Carlisle knew there was very little he could do to ease Edward's pain but for some reason, just being present seemed to help Edward calm and regain a small enough part of himself to allow Carlisle to transport him to his new room assignment.

"If you need anything, just have a nurse page me," Carlisle said, echoing his sentiment over to Rosalie as well. Both she and Edward nodded. The other young man was still unconscious but his breathing was strong and steady as was his heart as the ECG waves rose and fell on the monitor in an even pattern.


	4. Chapter 4

Four hours later Carlisle was on his way home, his black Mercedes zipping blindly through early morning traffic. It was all he could do not to fall asleep at the wheel as his eyes grew heavy; the familiar feeling of driving and the smooth motion of the car pulling him into a hypnotic daze. He followed the still empty streets through the quiet, gated subdivision until he came upon the massive corner lot that backed onto an overgrown meadow of wildflowers, surrounded by a thick forest. Esme had picked this house because she said for living in the city you couldn't beat the view from the backyard.

And that's exactly where Carlisle found his wife, staring longingly out the back window, coffee cup cradled close. She was wrapped up tight in her navy blue, silk housecoat that clashed perfectly with her milky white skin. In the fresh hues of morning light that faded in through the floor to ceiling windows Esme looked like an angel.

Carlisle's breath caught in his throat as he took her in.

She was absolutely mesmerizing and Carlisle couldn't believe how lucky he was that someone like her had chosen someone like him to love. He felt like the luckiest man alive and that propelled him forward.

He dropped his briefcase onto the couch and shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it aside. He loosened the tie around his neck, the necessity to be formal and professional no longer required as he moved longingly into the kitchen and wrapped his hands tightly around his wife's waist.

"Oh, Carlisle, I didn't hear you come in," she jumped slightly before holding his hands with one of her own. He saw her lips curve into a crooked smile in the reflection of the window and it made his heart thud erratically.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he said lovingly, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck. He inhaled the sweet smell of her shampoo, strawberries and honey, as he buried his face deeper into Esme's caramel coloured tresses.

He kissed her neck passionately, starting behind her ear and moving down to the place where her neck met her shoulder. Esme sighed happily. He had worked a long shift and she had missed her husband terribly. She even contemplated visiting him at work last night, as she often did when they spent too much time apart, much to the dismay of the many nurses who fawned over Carlisle.

He always spent a good portion of every shift turning down advances made to him by the female medical staff and it always pleased him when Esme showed up so he could show her off. No matter how many times he repeated the words 'I'm happily married', the message never seemed to sink in until Carlisle pulled Esme into a quick but passionate kiss in the middle of the chaos at the nurse's station. After seeing the shocked and disappointed expressions on several faces, Carlisle would happily escort his wife to his office where they would continue their displays of affection behind a locked door, leaving the nurses flustered and envious.

It always amused Carlisle to watch his wife leave the floor, only to have the heated gazes of every one of his colleagues follow her. Males included. Those were the difficult times, when Esme attracted the attention of the wandering eyes of his fellow doctors and colleagues. She had been approached by people, who he would consider friends, on several occasions and had been asked out for dinner or coffee. Esme always chuckled softly and apologized, spinning her wedding band on her finger.

Then the conversation would continue to something along the lines of, 'Oh, you're married.' Esme would nod, with that half smirk, making the man flush and his breathing pick up slightly. Then the man would proceed to say something like, 'He must be a very lucky man.' At that point Carlisle would appear beside his wife, wrapping his arm around her waist, and say 'Yes, I am.' That would end the conversation and with one more heated kiss Esme would leave Carlisle to his work. And for the rest of his shift Carlisle would struggle to keep his thoughts on his work as his mind drifted again and again to his wife.

But last night Esme knew Carlisle was beyond busy and though it would have done him some good to see her, she understood that he was preoccupied and it would be unfair to divert his attention, even for a second, when so many people were counting on him.

Carlisle reached forward to take the coffee from her hands and placed the mug on the counter with a metallic clink, so he could spin his wife to face him without spilling her drink.

"I love you," he whispered as he pressed his forehead against hers, their noses touching.

"I love you more," she smiled as they stood there, just staring into each other's eyes and breathing each other in.

After a long moment Esme spoke.

"You look exhausted, sweetie," she said sadly. She hated to see the bags under his eyes. It plagued his perfect face with the horrors of his job. "I'd ask you how your night was, but I have a suspicion, I've been watching the news," she said grimacing. Carlisle looked across the room to where the TV was mounted on the wall. The breaking news bulletin was flashing across the screen and the image of the burning plane falling from the sky seemed to be on repeat. He cringed slightly, pulling Esme closer for support.

"Is it really that bad?" she whispered, the low murmur of the reporter barely reaching her ears.

"Worse," Carlisle groaned, dropping his face to catch her lips with his own. He was hungry for her touch. "But I don't want to talk about that right now," he assured her. "I missed our date and now I need to make it up to you."

"Carlisle," she laughed, tilting her head away from him, only to find that by the look on his face he was serious. She grimaced at him. "You're tired. Date night can wait. You need to sleep."

"On the contrary, my love, right now all I need is you," he whispered huskily in her ear. He felt her body shudder in response and it pleased him as his hands travelled up and down her sides.

"I have to shower first, care to wait on the bed for me? I promise I'll be quick," he said with a coy smile.

"Mmmm, a shower sounds nice," Esme purred, biting her bottom lip.

"Care to join me then?" Carlisle asked with a twinkling smile.

"Only if you promise to go to sleep right after," Esme said seriously. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Cross my heart," Carlisle laughed, taking his wife's hand and leading her up the stairs.

As it turns out Esme had spent most of the night awake, fretting over Carlisle and watching the horrific news footage of the crash. So a shower and bed was exactly what she needed as well. When she awoke next to her husband it was five thirty in the afternoon and she knew Carlisle had to get up or else he wouldn't go to sleep normally tonight and then he would be all groggy for his shift tomorrow.

"Carlisle," she whispered against him, running her cheek along his smoothly shaven face. "Honey?" she urged, shaking him slightly.

He groaned in response, flipping over to lie on his stomach. Esme chuckled under her breath, running a finger down his bare back, tracing the direction of his spine. Carlisle sighed contently and after a few moments seemed to have drifted off to sleep again.

Well that didn't work, Esme thought to herself.

Esme kicked off the sheets that trapped her legs and rolled over to straddle Carlisle's back. With her hands pressed against his strong shoulder blades, she bent down to press a light, but passionate kiss to his mouth, running her tongue along his lower lip.

This time Carlisle groaned, but his eyes shot open as Esme pulled her lips away. For a second his breath escaped him as he took in her dazzling form from the corner of his eye as she leaned over him. Even first thing in the morning, when people should look like bed-headed versions of themselves, Esme was nothing but glorious.

Instinctively Carlisle rolled beneath her, until she was sitting against his stomach, and his hands shot out, grasping at the silky blue nightgown his wife wore as he flipped them over. Staring down at Esme he found his way to her lips once more, chuckling internally as his wife moaned against him and snaked her hands around his neck to feather her fingers through his hair.

"Well good morning to you too," she gasped, breathlessly as Carlisle pulled away.

With his head resting against her chest, picking up the quick patter of her heart, Carlisle smiled, "Actually, I think it's almost good evening."

They were both still too exhausted to cook, so they had settled on take out and Carlisle had met the delivery boy at the door. Esme snuck a piece of pizza from the box and curled up on the couch as Carlisle returned with two plates.

He handed Esme one just as the cheese of the pizza slice she was eating began dropping off the crust. Carlisle collapsed on the couch beside her, leaning against the arm rest so he could stare at her. They tangled their legs together as they ate in silence. After about fifteen minutes of quite, Esme tilted her head, attempting to figure out what Carlisle was thinking. She assumed his mind would be on his work, she could see the tension in his eyes, but there was a small grin playing on his lips that told her he was currently preoccupied with something else.

As usual, Esme was right. Carlisle had been thinking about work. He was always thinking about work, but right now all he could think of was how beautiful Esme was and how lucky he was to be able to lay next to her very night. He watched her analyze his face, searching for clues to his thoughts and as she did he gave her a crooked smile that made her swoon. Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink as he did, and he couldn't help but lean across the couch and capture her lips with his.

"Esme, you're blushing," he teased softly, letting his breath linger on her neck as he spoke into her ear.

She laughed gently. "That still happens sometimes when I look at you," she confessed. "I'll try harder to not to."

"Never," Carlisle spoke swiftly. "You're beautiful when you blush." He ran his thumb along her cheek, tracing the hot pink skin beneath his finger.

"Good, because I've been trying to stop blushing when I look at you for close to ten years," she said thoughtfully. "It's futile, you're much too handsome."

Carlisle grinned against her lips. They fell into a comfortable silence again, as Carlisle rearranged their positions on the couch. He moved the empty plates and pizza box onto the coffee table. Then he lay on his side, pulling Esme against him so her back fit closely to his chest. He stroked her hair, propping his head up on his hand, and lowered his lips to press a fleeting kiss against her hairline.

"Tell me about your night," Esme asked quietly as Carlisle's hand trailed up and down her side, drawing tiny patterns against her skin.

"It was long and hard," he sighed. "One of the most difficult shifts I've had in a very long time."

"Because of the injuries," she questioned.

"No, I wish it had just been a matter of being unprepared for the kind of injuries I would be facing. That was the easy part. The hard part was dealing with the emotion that comes along with a horrific accident like that," Carlisle explained.

Esme nodded. She didn't always know what to say, but Carlisle took comfort in knowing that she was there and that she would listen to him. Sometimes her silence was all he needed. Slowly he began to unload the events of the night onto her and she welcomed it, always happy to help Carlisle share the burden of the heavy parts of his work: the parts that weighed heavily on his heart.

"There was this girl, her parents died in the hospital room with her before we could even treat her," Carlisle began. "It was chaotic, people were coding all over the place. Everything smelt like blood and gasoline. She was just sitting there, watching them, this look of terror in her eyes."

"Oh poor thing," Esme's voice broke.

"That's what I thought too, at first" Carlisle muttered. Esme could sense a thin anger lacing his tone which surprised her. "But then I began treating her. There were bruises all over her ribs. She had old fractures and breaks covering most of her bones."

Esme swallowed hard, the conversation moving to a subject that neither her nor Carlisle liked to dwell on because of Esme's past.

"He hit her Es. Her father beat her. She wasn't terrified that they had died. The way she looked at their corpses…it was as if she was afraid that their hearts would suddenly start beating again. She was scared they would survive. Wake up. Come back to life."

"Carlisle, you know you couldn't do anything about it," Esme spoke slowly. "What she went through before she came to you, what she experienced…there was nothing you could have done for her."

"I know," he murmured into her hair. "I just couldn't help thinking that she had already dealt with enough. She was living in an abusive home and then the plane she's on falls out of the sky. How much is one child supposed to endure?"

"It's unfair," Esme agreed. "No child should have to deal with that." Esme paused, getting lost in an old memory. She shook her head and focused as Carlisle's fingers moved to trace her arm. "How was she responding?" Esme inquired lightly, her tone worried and motherly.

"She flinched whenever I got near her. But she didn't cry. She would barely answer my questions, though."

"She guarding," Esme murmured, a familiar feeling sinking in. "And blaming herself for everything, most likely."

Carlisle nodded. "That's what I figured. When I left she was stable, but there is no telling how much emotional trauma she's endured."

Esme nodded. "Well, sometimes things happen for a reason. Maybe she'll be better off now," Esme commented. "As messed up as that seems."

"Perhaps," Carlisle said. "I just wish I could protect them all. All the kids I treated last night lost everything as far as I know. Whether they were ideal parents or not, no child should be orphaned this way."

Esme grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She could hear the pain in Carlisle's voice. He shuddered for a moment and then continued.

"There was this boy. His father passed away while he was asleep. The nurses gave him drugs because of a dislocated shoulder. When he woke up I had to offer my condolences."

Esme grimaced and Carlisle's voice dropped to a whisper.

"He was so polite and sincere. He thanked me Esme. He actually thanked me for trying to save his father. He was sixteen. He was devastated and all he said before he broke down was that he was grateful. I mean what kind of kid can say those things after they've been through that?" Carlisle gestured to the TV that was still on, the news footage hadn't changed much.

Esme rubbed his hand, making even circles against his skin, "The kind of kid that was raised by loving parents."

Carlisle sighed, almost hypnotized by Esme for a moment before the memories gnawed at his consciousness again.

"There was also this other kid. The paramedics brought him in, said he was dead. I almost signed the papers. I wasn't even going to check, I was so busy, so exhausted. I was just going to send him off to the morgue like that. But I did check and you know what, he was still alive, fighting to breathe under the weight of the body bag."

"Oh, is he okay?" Esme gasped. She could feel Carlisle squirm behind her.

He shrugged, "I got him intubated. He was still unconscious when I left, but his vitals were stable."

"You are a wonderful doctor, Carlisle," Esme told him sincerely.

"I don't feel like it, especially during times like this," Carlisle admitted, feeling his body slouch against his wife's back. Her warmth and support made him feel like he could bare the horrible parts of his job; face the horrors a little easier.

"That's why you're so wonderful, because even when you've done everything humanly and medically possible you still wish to do more," Esme said turning in his arms to look into his eyes. He held her gaze and felt lighter, getting lost in the swirl of emotion that Esme was hiding beneath the dark lashes.

"Those kids are better off just for having you as a doctor Carlisle. You'll see, things will get better soon. They have to."

And although she had no idea at the time, Esme couldn't have been more right.


	5. Chapter 5

Carlisle arrived at his shift the next day, exactly ten minutes early as he usually did, not surprised in the least to find a stack of patient charts already waiting for him at the nurses' station. There were a lot of people to see, most of them being survivors from the crash.

"Most of these people are in the hallway on gurneys," Shelia said, looking over her computer screen, gesturing at the charts. "We've done the best we could with the room we had," she admitted tiredly and Carlisle offered her a weak smile.

"Well I'll see if I can be of any assistance," he said, exuding all the confidence he could muster. But he doubted anyone would be ready to be discharged yet.

Carlisle walked briskly away from the nurse's station, past the two sets of chrome elevators and emerged into a packed hallway that was full of people, some of which seemed to be asleep and others were crying outwardly. There were snivelling family members roaming like the walking dead, tripping over the IV stands that ran everywhere, creating a tangled maze of saline drips. Carlisle didn't even know where to start or how to locate his first patient.

His eyes scanned the top chart he held in his hand and then called out a name over the onslaught of nervous voices.

"Mary Alice Brandon?" Carlisle asked to the hallway in general, scanning for any sign of acknowledgment. He was checking on the post-op cases and a lot of the less severe recoveries had been bumped out to the hallway to make more room in the ICU.

"Just Alice," a girl sighed to his right. She had short, dark, wispy hair that fell close to her head and dark brown eyes. Her features were angular, but not sharp, delicate in a way. Oddly enough, she seemed almost sprite like, as if she were a lithe fairy out of a children's storybook.

Carlisle noticed that her eyes darted around nervously as he approached, as if she was waiting for something terrible to happen. She had one leg pulled up to her chest, her fingers gripping her knee tightly. The other leg was stretched out on the bed, covered in bandages. He had seen behaviour like that before in people who survived horrific accidents. Finding themselves alive and well made them jumpy, as if they expected death to return suddenly and claim some outstanding debt from them.

As he approached, Carlisle couldn't help but smile. Despite her uncertainty, the girl had an air of positivity that just seemed to radiate out from her small stature in glowing waves. And unknowingly Carlisle's life shifted again, for the third time.

"Hello Alice, I'm Doctor Cullen. I'm going to be doing you're post-op exam today."

"Okay," Alice squeaked. Her voice was light and airy, like musical wind chimes that danced in the breeze. For a moment it distracted Carlisle from his task.

"The nurses said they are having quite the time treating you, apparently you won't hold still long enough," Carlisle mused as he removed the bandages from her leg. "You've rolled over quite a few toes with the wheelchair already," he joked.

"I'm sorry; I was just looking for my mother," Alice apologized. "The police are going to take a long time sorting through the victims. I just thought she could be here, you know, somewhere in this hospital not knowing whether I'm alive or dead."

"Any luck?" Carlisle asked with a sympathetic expression. He pursed his lips and his shoulders fell.

"No, because I'm pretty sure she's in the morgue," Alice sighed again.

"Why do you say that?" Carlisle asked as his eyebrows knitted together.

"I-uh, no reason," Alice trailed off.

"Surely there must be a reason, Alice."

"It's stupid, don't worry about it," she said, waving him off.

"I won't think it's stupid," Carlisle said truthfully.

Alice looked up at him with sad eyes that made his heart twitch painfully.

"Well, I get these vivid dreams," she began slowly, measuring his response. When he didn't burst out laughing or accuse her of being crazy she continued, "And I had one last night about my mother and she was surrounded by darkness. My dreams give me feelings, you know. I just can't shake the feeling of death today, so I'm pretty sure it's her."

"Have you had many dreams like that?" Carlisle asked with avid curiosity.

"Several over the years," Alice whispered, keeping her voice low.

Carlisle nodded.

Alice's eyes narrowed. "You think I'm crazy, don't you. That's what my father said too," she crossed her arms as if to say 'I told you so'. She knew he wouldn't believe her. This is why she didn't tell people about the dreams. People thought she was a lunatic when she tried to explain the distorted visions that haunted her in the night.

"No, on the contrary Alice I think our subconscious is very powerful thing," Carlisle mused.

Alice chewed thoughtfully on the side of her cheek, still not quite believing that he was being so understanding.

"Is your father coming to get you?" Carlisle asked, tactfully changing the subject.

"No, he doesn't want me," Alice said simply. "He said I ruined my parent's marriage and that this is my karmic retribution or whatever." Her hands gestured widely to the grim surroundings. "He said I'm on my own now."

"He'll come around, I'm sure," Carlisle said, though by the expression on Alice's face he wasn't sure she wanted him to.

"I doubt it," Alice said through gritted teeth.

Carlisle checked Alice's surgery sight. She had arrived with a giant shard of glass protruding through her lower leg. "Everything looks like it's healing nicely," Carlisle commented, falling into the familiar feeling of a doctor doing an examination. It was so second nature that he almost didn't notice Alice's face fall.

"Do you think I'll have any trouble walking?" Alice questioned him, looking up at him with those big brown eyes again. That's what had snapped him out of the medical jargon that was quickly filing his mind as he scribbled onto the medical flow chart.

Carlisle's heart ached for her and for some reason he felt as if he would never be able to be anything but truthful to her.

"It's hard to say. Dr. Meyers assured me that there was no significant nerve damage, so I should say it is safe to guess that you will walk fine."

"What about other things? Like running and stuff," Alice asked as she inspected her own leg, turning it from side to side. It felt heavier than usual for some reason.

"Is there something in particular you're worried about, Alice?" Carlisle wondered.

"Well, it's just that I dance. For the last fourteen years… so I kind of need my leg to work properly," she explained offhandedly, trying to make it seem like no big deal, so if the answer was no, it wouldn't hurt that much.

"I see," Carlisle murmured. "I can't promise anything, but I will do everything in my power to make sure your leg is as functional as it can be when you leave here, okay?"

Alice nodded. It was the best she could hope for since she was fortunate enough to still have all her limbs intact. There were others who weren't that lucky. "Thank you, Doctor Cullen," Alice said gratefully. She was impressed that even with all these people that needed attending to, Doctor Cullen had still taken the time to address her concerns.

In a moment that should have been filled with relief, Carlisle felt a shiver of annoyance. There were people crammed so close that you couldn't breathe without annoying the person next to you. Carlisle couldn't help but feel that the conditions were less than adequate to start healing in. Alice was going to need to have some sort of physiotherapy, especially if she wanted to dance again, and there was no room in the hallway to have her perform the necessary exercises that she would have to do to keep her leg muscles strong as she healed.

"How would you like to get out of this hallway," Carlisle offered.

"You can do that," Alice said, her lip curving up into a tiny smirk.

Carlisle nodded. "As long as you don't mind some company, I think I know a place."

Carlisle flagged down a passing nurse and handed her Alice's chart. "Please escort Miss. Brandon to room 13A. And have Debbie assigned to her case. She is going to need some physio."

"Sure thing," the nurse replied. Alice waved happily as she was wheeled away. Carlisle took in the image, remembering that his first patient of the day had been taken away with a smile on her face and not in a body bag. He was off to a good start. As he could have hoped, the rest of his shift unfolded in the same general pattern, as Carlisle ordered meds, checked vitals, made out prescriptions and to his surprise, he was able to discharge several patients to their families, freeing up some much needed room in the hallways.


	6. Chapter 6

"What's up doc?" a big brawny kid asked as Carlisle pushed the door closed behind him with a gentle thud. The noise and chaos in the hallway quickly faded away but the unease in the pit of Carlisle's stomach clenched at his insides with even greater force. It was the start of a new day, but the terrible feeling of dread Carlisle had while working lately was still ever present.

"Can I get out of here now?" the kid begged, looking restless and annoyed. He was curling and uncurling his hands as if he was about to level one of the hospital employees out of frustration.

For this patient Carlisle had brought along Janice, one of the many social workers that had descended upon the hospital in the wake of the accident. It had gotten harder and harder to deliver the devastating news, especially to kids, so Carlisle was glad to have the expertise and support of the social workers. They made this part of the job, not easier, but more tolerable.

Emmett McCarty's family had finally been identified by one of the many morticians: his mom and dad, and a baby sister had been found. Their bodies were matched to dental records because the burns had disfigured any identifying characteristics.

The boy, who actually towered over Carlisle's six foot three stature, limped over to Carlisle using crutches that were much too short of him. His left leg was in a cast, but even hunched over the kid was still a massive, hulking form of rippling muscle. He would have been quite intimidating, except for the boyish smile that held his lips as he looked from Carlisle to the woman who had followed him through the door.

"Am I being discharged?" Emmett asked, looking pleased. "Is my family here? Have you found them?"

Carlisle winced. "Emmett, this is Janice," he spoke quickly, nervously. "She's a social worker here at the hospital…she'd like to talk to you for a few minutes."

"Hi Emmett," the social worker said, her voice layered with sympathy and warmth. Whether it was real or fabricated for the job she did, Carlisle couldn't tell. Emmett blinked, as if he didn't understand what was happening.

"Would you like to sit down?" Janice asked gently, gesturing back over to the hospital bed.

"What did you say?" Emmett asked in a low rolling tone. It was almost a growl. His hands started to shake.

Carlisle swallowed. "Emmett, I think it's best if you sit down," he prodded gently.

"Why do I have to sit down?" Emmett's eyes narrowed and his head snapped between Carlisle and the social worker.

"Emmett, please," Carlisle said, extending his hand towards the bed. Emmett rocked on his feet, stumbling slightly as too much weight hit his broken leg.

"No! Tell me what's wrong!" he said defiantly, his voice rising.

Janice opened her mouth but the words escaped her for a moment. Emmett no longer looked like the spirited, carefree boy he had been a minute ago. He looked like the terrifying, hulking monster his body could become.

"Go ahead! Go on!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Say it!"

Janice shuddered but Carlisle held his ground. He had dealt with irate patients before. He knew the signs, watched them unfold before his eyes: the temperament shift, the anger, the glares, the shaking. Pent up rage was bubbling just under the surface of Emmett's skin. He was like a volcano about to blow.

"Janice," Carlisle said calmly. "Go on."

Emmett needed to hear the words. He needed them confirmed or else he would only become angrier.

Carlisle saw Janice nod from the corner of his eye.

"Earlier this morning the remains of your family, your parents and your sister, were identified by LA Presbyterian hospital employees. The coroners have confirmed the DNA samples. Your family is deceased," Janice said stagnantly, without emotion. She gripped the paperwork in her very tightly. It suddenly felt like all the oxygen in the room had been sucked up, like when a bomb is dropped. It implodes first, sucking in all the surrounding air before exploding and decimating the surroundings with a pent up force so powerful nothing can stop it.

"NO!" Emmett shouted. "No…no…no...no…no!"

He hurled the crutches. They soared across the room, knocking over an IV stand and smashing against the glass window that looked in from the hall. The blinds rattled, swinging and tangling into a mess of white plastic.

"I was going to get a football scholarship next year, after I finished high school. We were just leaving UCLA. I _just_ toured the campus with them. They can't be dead!" Emmett spit out. His hands were clasped by his head and he was shaking. His fists were clenched, his cheeks were flushed red. Carlisle could sense what was about to happen but still wasn't completely prepared.

"I'm sorry, Emmett," Janice said.

"No you're not! You didn't even know them!" Emmett screamed. He threw his arms out and with an angry howl flipped over the bedside table that was wheeled up close to his bed. The contents exploded, flying in all directions. Janice shrieked and Carlisle held his clipboard up to deflect the onslaught of breakfast that Emmett had yet to eat. Scrambled eggs were everywhere.

Emmett collapse on his bed, wincing as his leg smashed against the metal bar. There were tears in his eyes and he hiccupped as uncontrollable dry heaves wracked his body. Carlisle moved forward but noticed that Janice was frozen on the spot. Emmett's outburst had frightened her stiff.

Carlisle gave her a sympathetic stare. "It's okay, I've got this," he said. She nodded, whispering "I'm sorry," and moved to leave the room.

Emmett was shaking, visibly vibrating. It shook the entire bed. "Can I see them?" he whispered.

"I'm afraid the damage was too severe. They had to identify them through dental records," Carlisle explained. "You wouldn't recognize them even if you were allowed to see them."

"I don't want to be here," Emmett whispered. "I don't want to be alone. I can't be alone," he said through gritted teeth.

"Okay," Carlisle said. "I'll move you to another room."

Emmett dropped his face in his massive hands, shuddering. The anger and pain rippled through him and Carlisle didn't know how to help him. For a moment he wondered if a mild sedative would be necessary, just until Emmett had his emotions under control. But as the boy calmed, his posture relaxed, though Carlisle could still see his fists clenched tight. He was slightly concerned about Emmett's mental health, about a further reaction to the news the social worker just delivered, but he didn't want to treat him like someone to be feared. The kid was scared enough.

Carlisle let his hand drop to Emmett's wide shoulder and led him to a wheelchair across the room. Carlisle trusted his gut and decided that Emmett was not a safety risk; he was just a frightened kid who needed someone. For the fourth time, Carlisle's life shifted dramatically as he rolled a heavily sobbing Emmett into the elevators and up to the thirteenth floor.

"You're up early," Carlisle noted to the young man in 13A who they still considered a John Doe. He had settled Emmett in the bed next to him and was now rounding on the other patients in the room. Rosalie was quiet, still asleep, which was good since she was flinched away from Carlisle when he was near her. She tolerated him more than other male doctors, which meant she trusted him, she just couldn't let go of old habits that easily. Edward was not asleep, but instead reading a newspaper. His eyes scanned the front cover for details about the plane crash. Carlisle didn't know if it would upset him more but Edward was polite as always, though he did seem less talkative.

Alice was asleep as well, though by her quick breathing Carlisle could tell she would be waking up soon. Alice was a talker. She always chatted happily with Carlisle when he came to check on her, which he encouraged because with all the negatives in her life, it was a miracle that she was still this positive.

Though the young man, the last patient in the room Carlisle had yet to check on, was one of the first patients Carlisle had assigned to this ward, this was the first time he had been conscious since the crash. It was only a few days ago, but Carlisle was relieved to see the bright blue eyes dart around the room in confusion.

The young man blinked a couple times, looking uncomfortable without his voice. He still had a tube down his throat to help him breathe.

"I'm going to take this out now," Carlisle said nodding to the tube. "It's going to feel weird, but I want you to take a deep breath and blow it out, okay?"

The patient nodded, inhaling deeply.

Carlisle secured the tube between his fingers and in one fluid motion removed it from the young man's trachea, to an expected onslaught of hacking and coughing on the patient's part.

"Your throat will hurt for a while," Carlisle noted. "I'll have some juice brought up."

The young man nodded.

"Can you tell me your name? And please don't tell me it's John. I have enough of those around already." Carlisle couldn't help but smile a little.

"Jasper Whitlock, sir."

Carlisle noticed the soft southern drawl of his Texas accent immediately.

"Well Jasper, welcome back to reality. You've been out of it for a few days."

"Have I?" Jasper asked, cocking his head.

Carlisle nodded and shifted Jasper's chart to his other hand. "Can you tell me the last thing you remember, Jasper?"

He watched the boy's eyes wander for a second before the light of sudden realization appeared.

"The damn plane went down," Jasper said in a whisper, as if he didn't believe it himself. But immediately Jasper caught himself and apologized for his language.

"Don't worry about it. I'd say you earned the right to drop a few swear words," Carlisle confessed honestly.

Jasper cracked a smile but it quickly disappeared.

"My father wouldn't approve," he said quickly as if reminding himself more than anything.

"Was he on the plane with you?" Carlisle asked gently. He was tired of asking kids that, only to find out their parents were now dead, but unfortunately Jasper was a minor and he needed a guardian present now before they could continue medical care.

"Yes, and my mother," Jasper spoke evenly. "Since neither of them are here, fawning over my bedside, I assume they didn't survive."

"It's quite possible," Carlisle confessed honestly. He couldn't keep up the happy charade when he knew very well most of the crash victim's population was lying in the morgue. "But it's also possible they just haven't been identified by the police yet. Most people arrived here without any ID and some even with memory impairment."

Jasper nodded. Carlisle noticed his bright blue eyes jumping around as if formulating a plan of attack.

After a moment Jasper spoke. "But we both know that the probability of them being alive is relatively small. This kind of disaster is not something people often walk away from."

"No it's not," Carlisle admitted. Jasper struck Carlisle as being wise beyond his years, but there was also something so strategic and militant about his response that Carlisle could have sworn he was speaking to a war hero opposed to a seventeen year old boy. Again something shifted and Carlisle's life took a new path even though he never noticed the change in direction.

"Well, then I'll consider myself one of the lucky ones," came Jasper's response.

Carlisle offered him a knowing smile and left the room in search of drink to help cure the burning ache in Jasper's throat. He was sure that by now, with the smoke damage and then having oxygen pumped into his lungs for seventy-two hours straight, the inside of Jasper's throat was probably very dry.


	7. Chapter 7

The days seemed to bleed together, everything at the hospital happening extremely fast and at the same time, agonizingly slow. Everyone was always rushing, the doctors, the nurses, the hurried speeches, the quick check-ups. The only person who ever took some time to actually see how they were coping was Doctor Cullen, and Alice appreciated that.

But the never-ending medical tests and questions and statements given to the police made Alice feel like she was trapped in a nightmare on repeat and she was grateful for the few minutes of early morning silence she could steal between shift changes as the sun was rising.

"Sorry, I didn't think anyone was awake yet. I didn't disturb you did I?" Alice said apologetically. The morning sun was barely peeking over the horizon as she stood, awkwardly balancing on her good leg, her fingers lingering against the condensation on the cool glass.

She looked at the boy in the bed; his electric blue eyes fell into the shadow that was cast off of the privacy curtain surrounding his area of the room. All five hospital beds in the room were divided by the same thick curtains, pulled tight, dividing the strangers and allowing them some isolation, although it was easy enough to hear the doctor's comments and concerns when they performed rounds. It was easy to hear the strangled sobs and soft whimpering; the echoes of screams in the night as they relived the memories that were only four days old.

So far the strangers, who Alice had determined were all teenagers like herself, had given each other the respect of simply ignoring one another's presence. She had figured out their names, hearing Doctor Cullen refer to them over and over as he made rounds, but she still knew very little about them.

She knew that Rosalie Hale was in the bed next to her. The girl sounded incredibly frightened and at the same time exceptionally stubborn, often causing the nursing staff undo grief.

Alice found it quite humorous, since Rosalie was the only one who would speak up and give the staff a piece of her mind when they prodded too hard with their stethoscopes or squeezed too much with their blood pressure cuffs.

It was especially eventful when a young newbie doctor tried to remove Rosalie's stitches from her forehead. That ended with a lot of swearing and though Alice had yet to see her face she could tell Rosalie was the type of girl to cross her arms and flip her hair disapprovingly.

"Have you even graduated from medical school?" Rosalie had snapped at him, causing Alice to snort into her cereal the previous morning.

Needless to say Doctor Cullen came to the rescue and Rosalie was far less agitated in his presence. In fact he seemed to be one of the only people she readily tolerated but Alice used the word _tolerated_ very loosely, since Rosalie seemed to dislike when people tried to touch her or move her gown to assess her injuries.

To the right of Rosalie was Edward Masen; shy, quiet, insanely polite and an insatiable reader from what Alice had gathered. He always asked one of the nurses to borrow the daily newspaper. She didn't know why, but Alice felt oddly connected to Edward, as if he could sense what she was thinking even without ever really laying eyes on her. He had this vibe about him that was oddly welcoming, even though they were separated by curtained walls.

Emmett McCarty was on the other side of the room and Alice was pretty sure everyone in the room knew his name because he was loud and boisterous and liked to make sure people knew he was there.

He cracked rude jokes when he was annoyed with the nursing staff, which in turn made Alice giggle relentlessly, only stoking the fire that fueled Emmett's inappropriate comments. If Alice never heard another dirty sex joke again it would not be while sharing a room with Emmett.

She didn't really mind it though. Emmett helped keep everyone's spirits up, albeit unintentionally. She often heard the soft snickering from her fellow roommates when Emmett decided to be a walking-talking comedy show.

But sometimes the room was especially quiet and that was when one of the therapists needed to talk to Emmett, which always put him in a bad mood. Alice had heard his food tray flip several times, but the angry outbursts always seemed to remain on his side of the room, behind his privacy curtain. Alice doubted Emmett would ever really hurt anyone but the nurses tended to give him his space when he was angry.

Despite knowing who the people around her were, it was hard to acknowledge the situation before them; so simply pretending the other patients didn't exist made it feel like some sort of twisted dream instead of an actual reality.

However, Alice had to admit that it was nice to know there were others like her. Others who didn't necessarily know where they were going or what they were going to do next. It was comforting to know she wasn't the only one who felt lost.

None of the kids in this room ever had any visitors, besides the hospital employees who cared for them, so it was easy to see that they were alone now, just like her. They were alone and yet Alice felt a strange and silent camaraderie growing between them, connected by the tragedies they witnessed and the horrors they experienced. She couldn't explain it but she felt like there was a thread weaving their lives together now, so as much as they were alone, they had each other.

Alice could understand the intense fear they all shared now like a second skin, but the one thing she didn't quite understand was the most recent, conscious addition to the room, Jasper Whitlock. He was possibly the most mysterious of them all, mostly because he had been unconscious and intubated for the first few days they were all together. All Alice knew about him was that he was awake and he was currently staring at her.

"I hope I didn't wake you," Alice said, repeating her sentiment for the second time.

"Not at all," Jasper said courteously, finally breaking from his daze. If he was being honest, he had actually been watching Alice for some time now, quietly observing her lithe movements, the way her hair seemed to shimmer in the new morning sun, the way she sighed as a light breeze blew in through the open window.

Jasper found himself completely enthralled with her. And for no reason at all, except for the fact that he could feel a warm bubble of positive energy radiating out from her, he smiled.

"Why are you awake so early?" Jasper asked politely. "The nurses don't even start rounds for another hour at least."

Alice shrugged, losing herself for a moment in his deep voice. The sound of his southern accent made her stomach flutter and she became all the more curious about her silent roommate. She had stolen glances at him, since he seemed to be the only one who didn't mind not having the privacy curtain drawn around his bed, as she flitted around the room with the help of the physiotherapist or her wheelchair. It was almost as if sharing a room with a bunch of strangers was completely normal for him.

"Couldn't sleep," Alice mumbled. "You?" she asked, tossing the question back at him.

"It's quiet here," he said, lying back against his hands, which were folded behind his head. He seemed to become very enthralled with the ceiling tiles. "Almost, too quiet."

Alice waited patiently, feeling as if there was more. She eagerly waited for the moment when he would elaborate, desperately wanting their innocent exchange to continue.

"I was always an early riser," Jasper explained. He had waited a moment, collecting his thoughts. It was strange for him to talk to someone like Alice. Jasper was used to being ignored. He didn't often come up against people who were genuinely interested in what he had to say. Jasper almost didn't know how to have a conversation anymore. It felt strange to him, but Alice watched him with vivid interest and Jasper felt compelled to share with her.

"I had to be," he continued. "I went to a military prep school. Right about now we'd be running morning drills out in the field, already dripping with sweat as the sun came up between the trees."

"Do you miss it?" Alice asked, tilting her head slightly. "You said it was too quiet here."

Jasper moved his hands from behind his head to prop himself up slightly to see her better.

"Not really," he smirked. "It was never my idea of a fun place, but my parents seemed to think it was a good school. And the quiet is a nice change. It's different—no sergeants yelling at the tops of their lungs, no orders being given, no commands being barked. The quite is strange in a way, but it helps me think."

Alice nodded in agreement, crossing her arms against her chest as she leaned against the window ledge. "Why did your parents send you there?" she asked curiously. "Are you going into the military when you graduate?"

Jasper grimaced. "Definitely not," he said. "But apparently I was a problem child," Jasper admitted, casually throwing quotation marks around the word 'problem' with his fingers.

Alice grinned, intrigued, mainly by the half-smirk that was now taking over his face. She was only semi-aware that she was hopelessly trying to memorize every line and curve and expression of his face, afraid that when their conversation ended she might not talk to him for a very long time. The thin curtains now seemed like impossibly thick barriers that she would have to overcome.

"So, did you like rob a convenience store or something?" Alice asked jokingly.

"No, nothing that serious," Jasper smirked. "It was just little things, but it freaked my mom out and my dad was big on the whole discipline thing. He told me to straighten out or else. But I was ten and I figured it was an empty threat. "

"What kind of little things?" Alice asked, pursing her lips in amusement.

"Well I could hot wires cars and pick locks on doors that weren't meant to be open," Jasper offered with a smirk. "It wasn't that I did anything horribly wrong. I think my parents were just trying to be pre-emptive, you know, avoid the whole rebellious teenager thing."

"So did the school help then? Are you a reformed citizen now?" Alice joked lightly.

Jasper laughed outwardly. He couldn't help but feel happy, feather light even, as he spoke to Alice. She made him feel hopeful, like maybe things weren't always going to seem so bleak. He could almost feel the good, positive energy flowing out of Alice. It left her in waves and Jasper was almost certain that if he touched her there would be some sort of energetic spark.

"It did help in a way," he mused. "It made me more conscious about what I was doing but it also made me an observer more than anything. I became quiet and withdrawn, only speaking when spoken too, following commands, obeying orders. I became a different person, very different than the boy my parents sent away and with each year my life became more structured and my parents just became people who I spent the summer with."

Alice had moved closer, inching her way along the wall. She was captivated by Jasper, even though this was the first time she had spoken to him.

Jasper wondered if he should stop talking. Was he boring her? Was this too much information? But Alice didn't sigh or roll her eyes. She didn't let her gaze drift away from him like people often did when they were annoyed. In fact, she seemed to hang on his every word, like it was oxygen, so he continued slowly.

"I felt like I didn't really know them anymore—my parents; like they didn't really know me. At first I think it hurt my mom but soon she stopped trying to force conversation, stopped asking how I was doing. Then later they stopped writing me letters at the school. They stopped calling, stopped having me home for Christmas. They couldn't relate to me anymore. They didn't know who I was so I guess they stopped caring."

"I know the feeling," Alice muttered, thinking about her dad and how he didn't even want to see his own child. Her mother was dead, she just survived a plane crash and the man wasn't even going to come and see her in the hospital. He was off in Seattle, with his new girlfriend. He didn't want Alice to be a part of his life. And as much as she hated him, as much as she always said she didn't want anything to do with him ever again, losing her mom made her desperate for his involvement in her life. She wanted to know that everything was going to be okay. She wanted her dad to take care of her, but she knew he wouldn't. He resented her.

Alice struggled to pull herself from the thoughts that over took her mind. Jasper was watching her with concern. She plastered a small smile on her face but her voice quivered, giving her away. Despite what Jasper felt from her, he was a gentleman and didn't mention anything. He could sense that it was something Alice wasn't ready to talk about yet.

"Do you miss them? Your parents, I mean?" Alice asked in a small voice.

"I miss them, I do," Jasper spoke with sincerity, "but I spent so many years away from them, only seeing them for a few months every couple of years, that now it just feels like that again. It just feels like I'm away and their at home and maybe I'll see them in seven or eight months. I know I won't but the feeling that they're 'gone' hasn't really sunk in yet. I guess I'm so used to doing it on my own that it doesn't really change anything for me."

He grimaced at his own realization. He was so used to doing it on his own, living his life without them, that their death probably wasn't going to change anything. He would still be doing it on his own. He cleared his throat. "What about you? Were your parents on the plane too?"

"Just my mom, I haven't really had anything to do with my dad since their divorce. And I want to miss my mom. I think I should. But I don't feel sad right now. I can't help but feel as if she's happier where she is. She was really depressed after my dad left. In a way I know she blamed me but she couldn't leave me either. She always felt as if she was stuck, trapped because of me."

Alice was quiet for a second and Jasper let her dive into whatever thoughts had consumed her for the moment. Then she snapped back to reality.

"Anyway, I'm sure I've eaten up enough of your quiet time already," she gave him a smile that made the world stop for a second. "I'll leave you to rest."

"You don't have to," Jasper said suddenly, racing to get the words out fast enough. "I don't mind talking to you. It's a nice change," he smirked. "You're not trying to stick me with a needle or take my vitals."

He shifted in his bed, making room and patted the place beside him.

Alice smirked, but took a seat on the edge of Jasper's bed and they talked in quiet whispers until the sun was high in the sky and the nursing staff barged in to begin morning rounds.


	8. Chapter 8

The days slowly stretched into weeks and eventually the five strangers had awkwardly bumped into each other enough on their way to and from the bathroom that they had established an easy friendship. And despite their very different personalities, their demeanors seemed to complement each other, helping the long days pass with a little less of the mundane hospital jargon that seemed to have become a staple in their lives as they recovered.

Edward was the quiet one. He spoke gently and only when he had something imperative to say. His words were always kind and reassuring, and they always came at a surprising time, as if he had read their mind and was answering some unsaid thought or worry. He had taken up refuge in his small corner of the room with a stack of classic novels mostly in the form of Shakespeare. Doctor Cullen had been kind enough to lend him some from his personal library and Edward couldn't thank him enough. It helped take his mind off…well, everything.

Next to Edward was Rosalie's area which had slowly turned into a mini salon. There was the constant smell of acetone and nail polish wafting from behind her curtain. She had a stack of fashion magazines placed by her bedside and a tiny pink phone that buzzed religiously with text messages from her friends. Though the sound had been constant in the beginning, Edward had noticed that it had become quite less frequent as if the news of the crash was now old and people had moved on.

Rosalie was the stubborn one in the group. She continued to give the nurses the most hassle and as time went on she became downright rude and frigidly cold, which Edward could tell was just a mask she was hiding behind. She saved most of her nasty comments for the short, blonde nurses, who Rosalie claimed were the reason the term _dumb blonde_ was invented. They heard, "How are you even employed here?" so often when the nurses were around that it had become Rosalie's unofficial slogan.

Doctor Cullen, or Carlisle, as the teens now called him since they had been spending far too much time together, was one of the few medical professionals who escaped Rosalie's wrath. Even Emmett got the occasional disapproving eye roll and hair-flip, but that's because he was always up to something of the goofy sort.

He always took Rosalie's jabs with a smile though. The anger he had experienced before had dissipated greatly, however he still had moments were the trembling in his hands threatened to take over. That was mostly during his therapy sessions, when the shrinks liked to remind him that his family was dead. But Emmett was also easy going and boisterous. He kept them laughing with his antics and practical joking. Edward could tell that it was all some crazy attempt to get Rosalie to notice him. Emmett, all six feet and rippling muscle of him, had been infatuated with Rosalie since being moved to the room and he was not easily dissuaded by her rejection. Edward caught the smile on Rosalie's lips occasionally as she watched Emmett out of the corner of her eye. Apparently she was playing hard to get. Edward made note of that, but resigned himself to not becoming involved.

Jasper, who would usually strike Edward as the strong silent type, was anything but silent when he was around Alice. He always seemed to have something to say. Jasper was interesting in a way the others weren't. He seemed knowledgeable and worldly. He had opinions on topics like science and politics and culture which he easily debated with Alice, who despite her small pixie-form, could easily spar on controversial ideologies and opinions. Together Alice and Jasper often had the news on and watched it with wide eyes and clear fascination. Occasionally they would try to drag the others into their conversations, but Emmett always complained about wanting to change the channel to the sports network. There had been so many arguments over the remote already that they had collectively sat down and worked out a schedule to prevent any further injury. Apparently Emmett liked to settle things by wrestling. Alice was the only one who ever offered to take him on and though it would have been amusing, Emmett claimed he couldn't wrestle a girl. Edward had a feeling that tiny Alice would be able to hold her own, even against a grizzly bear like Emmett.

Edward had come to like Alice very much. He was an only child but if he had a sister he knew she would have been just like Alice. She was perpetually positive and contained so much pure energy that she literally vibrated. But Alice was also a deep thinker and Edward felt that he could relate with her on a deeper level, as if they shared some sort of telepathic bond. He often found himself thinking along the same wavelength as her, which comforted him. Alice often shared her thoughts and fears with Edward, allowing him to do the same and they had developed a bond that even friends who have stuck by each other for years would find difficult to rival.

Right now though, as the afternoon wore on and the rain streamed down, the room was in chaos as Emmett walked around with a bed pan on his head, using his crutches to hit the ball of tenser bandages into the makeshift net between Alice's and Rosalie's beds. Jasper was playing goalie, using a cane he swiped from an old person across the hall as a stick. The ball soared over his head, heading in the direction of Edward's bed. As usual, Edward had his nose pressed into a book but with lightning fast reflexes his hand shot out and caught the ball.

"Nice," Emmett echoed, but Edward simply rolled his eyes.

"You're going to fall and break your other leg," he exclaimed to Emmett.

Emmett scoffed and brushed him off, the look of pure, unadulterated joy never leaving his face.

"And why are you wearing a bedpan on your head?" Edward inquired, now that his attention had been diverted.

"It's to protect my face," Emmett said as if it was obvious.

"What for?" Jasper asked with a smirk.

Emmett grinned and rubbed his hand along his cheeks, "Well, now that I won't be playing football anytime soon," he said shaking his leg, "I have to capitalize on my next best feature, duh!" he said grinning.

Jasper laughed outwardly and even Edward couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"So you intend to be a male model?" Jasper snickered. "I hope you use the bed pan in one of your head shots."

Emmett snorted.

"I just hope it was clean," Rosalie said, scrunching up her nose in disgust. Emmett couldn't help but notice that even with a look of pure repulsion on her face, Rosalie still looked amazing, like a model that had walked right out of a magazine. His heart skipped a little, knowing that she was watching him.

He didn't say anything, just smiled his goofy grin and she turned away rolling her eyes but there was a smile playing on her lips, Emmett was sure of it. He turned back to Edward who was watching them with secret amusement.

"Well you've had your nose parked in that book for days, what is it, Romeo and Juliet still? That's a chick book," Emmett chortled.

"Well, speaking of chick, you're still the one wearing a dress," Edward pointed out. "And Shakespeare is classic literature."

Emmett looked down horror stricken and they all laughed.

"It's not a dress, it's a gown," he said looking appalled. Emmett hadn't graduated back to normal clothes yet because his leg was still in a cast.

While the guys debated the validity of hospital gowns looking more like dresses, Rosalie was busy painting Alice's nails.

"I really wish you'd let me paint them something other than black," she commented.

Alice grimaced. "I like black, what's wrong with black?" her voice was sad.

"It's a depressing colour," Rosalie said with a grimace.

"Technically, it's not a colour, it's a shade," Edward interjected.

"Thanks Einstein," Rosalie muttered. "A nice pink would look lovely with your cheeks, though," she insisted, returning her focus to Alice's nails.

"Eww," Alice whined.

Edward noticed the worry in her eyes. "I think black looks good Alice!" he assured her. "It matches your hair."

"I don't want people to think I'm depressed or anything. I just like black," Alice shrugged. She looked over at Jasper who smiled at her in encouragement.

There was silence amongst them. "You guys ever think about what happens after?" Alice said suddenly.

"After what?" Emmett asked, the moment failing to connect with him.

"After this? What's going to happen to us?" Rosalie continued Alice's thought in a small voice.

"We'll all go back with our families I guess," Edward murmured.

"What families?" Jasper questioned with a scoff, looking out into the cloudy sky as if searching for one ray of light, one ray of hopeful sunshine.

Edward nodded. "We're all on our own now, I guess."


	9. Chapter 9

"Don't you find it weird?" Sheila asked Carlisle as they stared through the slated blinds of the window, watching the five teenagers socialize freely as if they had grown up together. Tragedy had brought them together and hope for a life beyond the hospital had bonded them in a way that was so unique it would extend through time.

"What?" Carlisle asked curiously, tearing his eyes away from the scene in front of him.

"That they're all so normal, I mean after what happened," Sheila explained, watching as the boys played a game of hockey with random hospital supplies and the girls sat around painting nails and reading magazines.

"I assure you they are far from normal," Carlisle said with a heavy heart. He didn't need the therapist's notes to see that.

He knew that Alice was afraid to close her eyes at night, scared of the realities that her dreams brought her. Rosalie awoke most nights in tears, the demons of her past always coming to haunt her in the early hours of the morning. Jasper still felt as if he didn't fit in and he wondered why, day after day, the plane crash had not just claimed his life too. Edward grieved for his parents. He had been close to them and their deaths had crushed him. He had gone silent since that first night. Carlisle could barely get a word out of him, as with any other adult he encountered. He felt grateful that the others seemed to bring him some company as he would converse with them occasionally.

Emmett was the best at hiding the hurt, though. He was putting on a brave face, comforting the others, protecting them from the things he felt. In a way, it was as if he refused to acknowledge the tragedy, pretending that this stay at the hospital was a mere vacation from his family.

"This is just how they are coping, together," Carlisle said. It wasn't a doctor's diagnosis; it was just a mere human observation.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you; putting them in the same room?" Sheila accused with a mild grin.

"Not at first no, at first it was just a convenience thing, we needed the room elsewhere, but then it just sort of came together like that. They're all about the same age, so they're keeping some normalcy for each other, but they are far from okay."

Sheila nodded. "These kids are broken and confused."

"They have nothing to hold onto right now, so they've banded together. It's a self-preservation thing," Carlisle agreed.

"Will they ever be okay, I mean how can you just move on from something like this?"

"It will take a long time, but they'll find happiness again, when they can start to make sense of things."

"You don't know that for sure," Sheila pointed out.

"I don't, but I can always hope. For now I'm just working on getting them healthy again."

And that was the complete truth. Carlisle wanted nothing more than for these kids to grow up happy and healthy. He didn't know why he was so drawn to this particular group of patients, why every change in their status made his heart skip, why every new development felt like seeing a child take their first steps. Something had happened to Carlisle. It wasn't visible on the surface but inside he knew. He truly cared about these kids. And he knew he would do anything to keep them safe, to keep them from going through any more tragedy, befalling anymore harm. He would protect them as if they were his own.


	10. Chapter 10

Edward had been watching Alice from the corner of his eye for several minutes. It had been another long week and the realization that none of them were getting out of the hospital anytime soon had started to dawn on them. It wasn't just because they still had physical injuries that need to be addressed, but because none of them had any family, at least any family that was willing to take them.

Alice was curled up on her bed, her head resting against her knees as she watched the sun sink behind the downtown high rise buildings.

Her face was pulled tight. Her guard was down. The room was quiet, with Emmett at another therapy session that was bound to put him in a bad mood and Jasper having escorted Rosalie to the food court, hoping to find something with caffeine in it. The bland hospital food just wasn't doing it for them anymore.

Edward had heard the pain in Alice's voice when Jasper asked her to come along. She smiled at him, but it was forced. She told them to go ahead without her, blaming the fact she had pain in her leg. Edward knew Jasper saw right through the excuse but let Alice stay behind. They promised to bring her something with chocolate, not that she needed anymore hyperactivity-inducing sugar.

"Alice," Edward said quietly as she rocked back and forth. If anyone else had walked in at that moment Alice might have looked like a mental patient rocking in a catatonic state.

"Mmm?" Alice responded absently.

They both seemed to be comfortable with silence, especially around each other, but Edward could just tell that this was one of those times when Alice needed to talk about what she was thinking, whether she wanted to or not. Edward could almost hear the guilt ridden thoughts play out in her head, as if he could read her mind. It was a fear she had revealed to him before, in one of the many talks they shared when no one else was around.

"Alice, you can't think this is your fault. You can't control the things you see or feel," Edward began.

"I know, but I can't help feel that if I had gone with my gut, then we wouldn't have been on that plane and she would still be here with me." Alice swallowed the tears, taking a deep breath. "These things that I see, they're not good things, Edward; they never are. It's a curse seeing what I do. Every time I have a dream really bad things happen. Maybe I'm cursed. I ruin everything."

"Alice you're not cursed. What you see is a gift. It might not seem like that but …"

"No Edward, it's not a gift," she said shrilly. "I broke up my parent's marriage. I'm the reason. It was the stupid dreams." Alice tugged at her hair. Now she really looked mental. Edward walked the distance across the room and pulled her fingers from her hair. He didn't need someone coming in and seeing Alice like that. They would freak out and start running tests or try to move her to the psychiatric ward. The hospital staff was already concerned for their mental health and he didn't need Alice to be committed.

"I kept having a dream of this small red corvette parked in front of our house and when I finally worked up the nerve to ask my parents about it, wondering if we ever owned a car like that, thinking that maybe it was just a memory, my dad just about choked on his fork. That's when we found out of the girl he was seeing. Mom was devastated and dad said I was a wicked child for spying on him. The divorce was messy. It really hurt them both and it was because of me."

"Alice, you weren't the one doing anything wrong. Your dad was at fault. You're mom deserved more than that. She deserved to know the truth. And the dream you had the night before the crash, the one with all the fire, maybe it was a blessing in disguise. You told me that it made you nervous, so before you got on the plane you made sure that you told your mom you loved her and when she asked why you said _just because_. That's more than I said to my parents before it happened," Edward sighed.

"Oh, Edward, they knew," Alice assured him.

He smiled. "I know, it's just nice to know that you got to say it one last time."

Alice licked her lips. They were dry, parched. "Edward, I'm sorry."

"What for?" he asked, moving to sit beside her on the bed. He held her arms. She was trembling.

"I shou-should have known it was going to happen…I-I should have stopped the flight," Alice whimpered. "All those people," she choked on the words.

Edward pulled her small frame against his chest. "Alice you listen to me and you listen well," Edward said with a stern affection.

Alice couldn't help but chuckle. Most people would have said 'and you listen good', but not Edward, he was always grammatically correct. It must be all that Shakespeare.

"Sometimes things happen and they are horrible and cause us pain, but there is nothing we can do to stop it. Things happen for a reason Alice, they are destined that way. For some reason you get hints about the future, but in no way can you stop that future."

Alice whimpered, her breathing starting to even out.

"God calls us all home eventually, Alice," Edward told her. "It was time for our loved ones to find their way home."

Carlisle stood just outside the door where Alice and Edward were talking. He had listened to their conversation against his better judgement. He didn't want them to think he was eavesdropping but Carlisle couldn't believe his ears. The conviction Edward spoke with and the inner faith he had, left Carlisle taken aback. He was a man of faith himself, a firm believer in God, but that had taken him most of his adult life to come to terms with. Edward was so young, just a child by most standards, and yet his faith was so strong. He consoled Alice, took on her pain and offered her a way to embrace it. Carlisle knew it wasn't his place. He wasn't the boy's father. But in that moment he couldn't have been more proud of Edward. He just wished he could tell him.


	11. Chapter 11

The night was the worst part of the day for many reasons, especially for the five teenagers that occupied room 13A. Night brought along the darkness. It wasn't like nurses didn't barge into the room at odd hours, checking vitals and adjusting medication, letting the bright halogen light from the hallway spread like fire through the room. But there were moments when all you could hear was the nervous breathing of the person next to you and all you could see was pitch black. Black swallowed the happiness the teenagers found during the day. It consumed the progress they made, reminding them again and again, each time the sun fell, that they could never truly escape the darkness; it would always be here and with it would come the memories and the pain.

Edward could hear the muffled whimpers coming from the bed next to him. It wasn't every night, but often enough that Rosalie would be trapped in her sleep by a nightmare. Edward peered against the dark dividing curtain that appeared like a thick wall between their beds but let the sounds float easily through the room. He had just pulled on his shoes; he was going to wake her, when he heard another set of footsteps. Edward watched the massive form pass the end of his bed and smiled to himself. He kicked off his shoes again and adjusted the pillow under his head, feeling relieved.

The others were better at this than him anyway. Edward never knew what to say so he would just prod Rosalie awake before going back to his bed. At least that way she would wake up and leave behind whatever was frightening her. Alice was good at it; maybe it was a female thing. She would hold Rosalie's hand and quietly hum under her breath or smooth her hair and eventually the motions would sooth Rosalie into a deeper sleep; one where the darkness couldn't reach her. Jasper would nudge her awake and in his sweet southern drawl talk about something completely irrelevant until her eyes grew heavy and she fell back asleep, her mind distracted by his rambling. But Emmett was the best. Edward didn't know why. He didn't seem like the type to be overly sympathetic but somehow he managed it.

Emmett pulled the curtain around Rosalie's bed tentatively so it wouldn't make that scratching noise that made your spine tingle as it rubbed against the metal support bar that held it up. He didn't want to startle Rosalie either, though he knew she was having a nightmare so he doubted she would notice he had approached her bed. Swiftly he took her hands in his as she tossed her head back and forth. With the moon bright Emmett could make out tiny, pearly beads of sweat on Rosalie's forehead. She thrashed back and forth, muttering, her eyes clenched tight. She pulled and recoiled as if bracing herself for a devastating blow. Emmett had never asked and she had never said anything, but when you live in a room with the same people for over a month you tend to hear things.

It really was none of his business, but it wasn't his fault the doctors and nurses couldn't keep their voices down. And part of him knew that if something was hurting Rosalie it was his business. Despite her telling him on a regular basis that he was an idiot, which he often deserved, he couldn't help but want to protect her. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and make sure nothing bad ever happened to her again. He knew she had been abused. It was hard to tell, because on the outside she was strong. She put on a show, one where she was mean and condescending; it was a layer of protection. She pushed people away, trying to prevent the hurt. But at night she couldn't hide from the things that tortured her, the memories, the pain, the person who hurt her. It was in this state that his Sleeping Beauty looked most vulnerable and Emmett saw first-hand how scared she really was.

The feeling clawed at his chest, making him angry. He wanted to stop her suffering. He wanted to make it go away. And another part of him also wanted to kill the people who caused it. Emmett had heard enough to know that it was a family member who hurt her again and again. He supposed it had been her parents and they were already dead, so Emmett swallowed the red hot anger he felt, pushing it inside since there was no one to take the brunt of what he felt; there was no one to unleash his temper on.

Emmett let his hand linger gently on her cheek and his other hand squeezed hers.

"Rosalie," he whispered, trying not to disturb the others, but Emmett knew they were awake. They were awake, listening to Rosalie with knots in their stomachs. They had become so close over the last few weeks that they could sense when the emotion in the room shifted. And when one of them was in pain, they all were, because the empathy they felt for each other always brought on a wave of pain from the demons they were each trying to hide from.

"Rosalie," Emmett said a little louder, shaking her awake. She gasped and made to bolt upright but Emmett gently held her down by the shoulders. Coming out of the nightmare Rosalie was disoriented and confused. She stared at Emmett and the fear in her eyes was almost tangible. It took her a moment to realize who he was as she glanced around at her dark surroundings.

When she knew that she was really okay and that it had all been a dream she shuddered and started to cry. Emmett pulled her up and hugged her to his chest, feeling her bury her face in his shirt, muffling the sniffles.

"Shh, Rose, it's okay. Don't cry… it was just a dream…your safe…I'm here," Emmett cooed as he rocked Rosalie. She calmed slowly, holding the fabric of his shirt between her fingers.

"Are you okay, now?" Emmett asked, leaning back to see her face. He was looking into her blue eyes that were more violet in the moonlight.

"Emmett, don't go. Stay…" Rosalie choked.

"Okay Rose…just sleep…I'm not going anywhere…I promise."


	12. Chapter 12

The room was abuzz with laughter and girlish shrieks as Carlisle made his way inside. There was a deck of cards scattered from one end of the room to the other, having landed in the most random of places: balanced precariously on the window ledge, in one of Edward's shoes, stuck in the wires of the saline drip, wedged into the foam cork of the ceiling tiles. Carlisle smirked. When he had last passed the room, peering in through the window, the kids had been immersed in a very serious game, none of them moving an inch as they sat with their heads pressed together, eyes narrowed in astute concentration. In that short time they must have grown bored and decided on a game of fifty-two pick up instead.

"How are my favourite patients today?" he inquired with a light grin as he dropped his stuff onto the nearest bedside table that wasn't littered with cans of Coke or candy bar wrappers. Jasper had become very good at raiding the hospital break rooms. He looked mature for his age and liked to borrow the white lab coats from the laundry room and stroll around the hospital having engaging medical conversations and clearing out the paediatric wing of all the popsicles. It wasn't until Carlisle found Jasper in a patient's room, having been asked to give a consult by a fellow physician, that Carlisle searched Jasper's pockets and found one of the janitor's master keys. It was all harmless fun. But Carlisle thought it was better to put a stop to the antics before Jasper accidently ended up in an OR with a scalpel.

Carlisle listened to the laughter with a content feeling. It was hard not to feel happy at their obvious enjoyment. Who knew a deck of cards could be so entertaining?

"Carlisle we're your only patients," Emmett gaffed, rolling his eyes as he climbed out from under one of the beds with a card in his hand; there was a smirk on his lips.

"That's not true!" Carlisle protested; as he flipped open the charts in his hand.

Emmett made a 'yah, sure,' kind of face at him. "You spend ninety-five percent of your time running around after us," he said matter of factly.

"Well, I do have to fill out this paperwork from time to time or else they tend to think I'm not keeping track of your progress," Carlisle joked.

Edward chuckled under his breath, his hands occupied by another classic novel. Alice beamed at Carlisle. It was nice to hear that they were making progress of some kind.

"I'll tell you about progress," Emmett said. "How about getting this stupid cast off my leg," he whined. "I'm so sick of not being able to bend my leg. I'm tired of hobbling around like an old lady with a broken hip."

Jasper laughed. "I've seen those old ladies, they move faster than you," he joked.

"Can it, Whitlock," Emmett said, but there was a playful glint in his eye.

Emmett turned back to Carlisle on a more serious note. "I'm not kidding doc, I'm about to go all MacGyver and saw it off myself," he promised.

Carlisle laughed. "One more week and then I promise it will come off, no questions asked."

"Then he can stop wearing those stupid dresses," Edward said. He couldn't help it.

"It's not a dress," Emmett roared. "It's a gown!"

Jasper broke out into a fit of laughter that rivaled even Alice's and Rosalie's.

"You better watch it Eddie, before I close that book on your nose," Emmett said in his best 'or else' impression.

"Alright, enough fun," Carlisle said. "It's time to be serious."

Emmett groaned. "I'm not sitting through all those stupid tests again," he said determinedly. "My arm is still recovering from being squeezed to death by that python of a blood pressure cuff," Emmett said.

"Yah," Alice agreed. "And they can't have any more of my blood. Look at the bruises it gave me when they took it," she said showing Carlisle the black and blue splotches at the crease where her forearm and upper arm met.

Carlisle's brows knitted together. "I'm sorry Alice, I'll tell the nurses to be more gentle."

"Oh, we have to do it again?" Alice moaned.

"Yes, I'm sorry, but I can take your blood this time if you like. I promise there will be no bruising."

Alice looked skeptical but agreed. "If I must."

"Heck no," Emmett said. "No more tests. I'm as healthy as a horse. Take this papier-mâché crap off my leg and I'm good to go," he protested.

Carlisle gave him a defeated sigh. "Well, you can either do the tests while I'm here or else the nurses will have to come in and do them later. And I can't promise you they will be very accommodating. They have a lot of people to look after." There was a resounding groan from the teenagers and Carlisle's hands fell to his hips.

"Alright, fine," Emmett conceded. "At least you're nice about it. The nurses are assholes!"

"That's because you keep cat-calling at all of them while they're in here," Jasper noted.

"Well I was just trying to be nice," Emmett said with a smirk. He was surprised when Carlisle chuckled under his breath.

"Well, that really old nurse was eyeing you, Emmett, so I would be careful." Carlisle paused looking up, flashing a row of brilliant white teeth at him. "She gives the sponge baths."

Edward dropped his book and picked it up quickly, shielding the snicker on his face but Jasper rolled on his bed in an open fit of hysterics as Emmett's face dropped in horror.

"Oh, God, no!"


	13. Chapter 13

Carlisle sat across the table from his wife. The restaurant was particularly empty for a Saturday night, but he didn't mind. It was nice to be able to hear each other without having to scream over the rush of hungry voices and waiters.

"So, you said the kids were making good progress?" Esme asked, dropping her fork on her plate. The five teenagers that Carlisle cared for on an almost daily basis had become a regular topic of conversation when he was at home. At first he thought it might bother her, but Esme was genuinely interested in how they were all doing.

Carlisle shook his head, swallowing his steak.

"Today Rosalie actually smiled at me when I came to check on her. She wasn't able to meet my eyes when she first arrived at the hospital but now she's doing remarkably better. She's not one hundred percent," Carlisle admitted. "She's still dealing with a lot, but she's miles from where she was that first night."

Esme smiled. "Every day it will be easier for her."

Carlisle nodded. "And the physio therapist said Alice is making good progress as well. She doesn't want her doing any pirouettes anytime soon but she is confident that Alice should be able to dance again. Isn't that wonderful?" Carlisle mused.

Esme tilted her head watching her husband with avid fascination. She had seen the change in him over the past several weeks. "You really care about these kids, Carlisle." It was a statement of fact, not a question.

Carlisle let the smile touch his lips before his eyes became serious. "They have no one Es…and after what happened, all they've been through and how well they're doing, I feel like I've watched them grow up." He paused, his face falling. "I just wish I knew what was going to happen next. They're all on their own."

"I thought you said Rosalie had a family member willing to take her."

Carlisle grimaced. "She did, up until last week."

Esme frowned.

"Rosalie had a great aunt who was supposed to take her in. She was really excited about it, but then her great aunt had a heart attack. The doctor at Maine Medical Center told me the triple bypass surgery failed to take. They couldn't save the woman."

"Oh, that's horrible," Esme whispered.

Carlisle nodded. "I was worried about telling her. I didn't know how she would react, you know, with all the bad news she's already been handed. I didn't want to set her back any further but she seems to be coping okay with it. I think being around the other kids is helping her. I really do.

"I don't know what they're going to do when it comes time to separate them," Carlisle said more to himself then Esme.

"What about the others. Is there no one?" Esme asked with concern.

"Edward lost both parents on the plane. All contact we've made with his family has turned up nothing. No one is willing to take him in. Jasper has an uncle but he told social services that Jasper is a trouble boy and that they should send him back to that military school." Carlisle looked defeated.

"Is the boy really that bad?" Esme asked.

Carlisle shook his head. "Not that I've seen. He swiped several dozen popsicles from the paediatric ward but all the long term patients know where the popsicles are stashed. It's one of the hospitals worst kept secrets. But the boy has been nothing but polite. He's kind and courteous. I think you would call it charming," Carlisle said with a smile as he took Esme's hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her delicate knuckles. "He is very diplomatic when he wants to be. I've seen him settle a few arguments among them with just a smile and a nod of his head. It's as if his emotions are infectious."

"That doesn't really sound like someone who needs to be shipped off to a military school," Esme said.

"I know. Being around the others has been good for Jasper in a different way. When he was first around them he was really shy, almost nervous to be talking to people his age that weren't standing at attention, but now you should see him. I've never seen anyone with so much raw charisma."

"What about the others?" Esme asked. "Alice? Emmett?"

"Well Alice's situation is definitely strange. It's almost worse in some ways. Her father knows she's here. He knows about the accident, he knows she's alone. But he doesn't want her. Those were his actual words, Esme. 'I don't want her.' He'd sooner give her over to the state then come get her."

"Why?"

"Her parents went through a messy divorce and he blames Alice, when he was the one cheating." Carlisle sounded disgusted.

"That's ridiculous!" Esme said a little loudly, though there was really no-one around them to care that their conversation was no longer sweet and bubbly, or that their indoor voices were not as quiet as they should be.

"It is absolutely ridiculous. He doesn't deserve her though. He gave up his rights to parent her a long time ago," Carlisle sighed. "I think it's harder for her though, knowing that one of her parents is still alive and that they don't care what happens to her. I heard her asking Edward the other day if he thought she was unlovable." Carlisle's jaw clenched and Esme squeezed his hand tighter.

"Oh, Carlisle," she murmured.

"Yah, the situation sucks all the way around from what I can see. Even Emmett has no one, except his grandparents, but they've been in a nursing home for six years now. They're in no shape to look after him."

There was a long silence in which Carlisle felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, but not just any world, it was their world, the lives of those five kids.

"You would have been a wonderful father Carlisle," Esme said suddenly, staring into his eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you that."

Carlisle grimaced at the painful look in her eyes. "Esme don't say that, it's not your fault," he pleaded with her.

He hated bringing up her past but unfortunately it was always tied to this particular conversation. Kids were something both he and Esme wanted, eventually, when the time was right. But her troubled past always brought more heartache to something that should have been a joyous experience. Esme had been married once before, to a horrible man named Charles Evenson. He abused her. When Esme found out she was pregnant she tried to leave and Charles got so angry he pushed her down a flight of stairs. Esme lost the baby and the miscarriage was so bad, there was so much hemorrhaging, that the doctor's told her she would never be able to carry another baby to term.

Carlisle had been one of the doctors who treated Esme. He had personally cast her broken leg. They fell for each other instantly and slowly Esme learned to trust again and Carlisle helped her believe in love.

"We've talked about this, my love. If kid's is something you want too, then I'm fine with adoption. There are a lot of deserving children out there who need good homes and a wonderful woman to be their mother."

"You're too good to me, Carlisle," Esme said, stroking his hand.

He shook his head. "Esme, I want to give you everything."

"Well," Esme spoke suddenly, clearing her throat. "On the note of adoption…I have been thinking," she said.

"You have?" Carlisle was surprised.

"Yes and I think it might be time."

Carlisle's eyes widened as he leaned towards her. "Are you sure?"

"I'm ready now, Carlisle. I want us to start a family."


	14. Chapter 14

He didn't want to hear this. It was time for the kids to be moved but Carlisle wasn't ready. He couldn't let them go without knowing they would be safe and cared for.

"Carlisle, with no remaining family willing to take them in there is nothing I can do…I'll try my best to get them placed but you know as well as I do that people who adopt want babies, they don't want teenagers, especially ones who have just been through a traumatic experience," Janice said.

"But that is exactly the type of people these kids need: someone to love and care for them unconditionally. How else are they supposed to heal? They have no one!" Carlisle was beyond frustrated.

"It's the sucky part of this job. They don't all turn into happily ever after stories," Janice admitted.

"So what's the reality of their situation then?"

"Most likely they'll be shipped around the state, bounced in and out of foster care or city homes until they turn eighteen and then they'll be on their own."

"That's it?" Carlisle said through gritted teeth. "That's the best we can hope for? They deserve so much more. Haven't they already suffered enough? They lived through the crash only to find that their lives have been flipped upside down and everyone close to them is dead."

"Like I said Carlisle, they're almost adults, people want children."

"But they are children. God," Carlisle fumed. "They're tired and torn and helpless. They can't take care of themselves."

"According to the laws that govern this state they almost can. I'm sorry but my hands are tied," Janice looked weary.

"No, it's not good enough," Carlisle said biting his lip. The idea had been forming for a while now, subconsciously, consciously, it had definitely been on his mind, but it seemed like this was the time to implement it. It was obvious that the kids didn't have any other choice. Of course, he would let them decide, but he would open his home to them if they were willing. "I'll take them Janice," he said suddenly.

"What? Like a foster parent?" Janice looked taken aback.

"Sure, why not?"

"Isn't that a conflict of interest?" she stammered. "You've been treating these kids for over a month now."

"Janice, please. You know as well as I do how much these kids have been through. Can't you help me out here? Cut them a break? It's not going to be forever, just for the time being, until we can figure out something better. I'd keep them here in the hospital, but they are already getting restless. They need some normalcy, some structure in their lives again. It's the only way they are going to start healing. They have to get out of here and start to move on."

"I'm not saying I don't like the idea. I know you care for these kids. I know they trust you, but I'm also not saying there won't be hurdles to jump through." Janice started rhyming off the obstacles they would face.

Carlisle just nodded. He was used to facing obstacles and he had patience to spare. He knew there would be a lot of emotional baggage to deal with, six times over, but he had done it once with Esme. He had helped her work through her past and he knew together they would be able to help these kids.

Janice was still consumed with the daunting task before them, while Carlisle was just eager to get started. "We're going to need all sorts of special permission for you to take on this many. Being a doctor will help. You have connections here in the hospital. You'll be able to provide the kids with a kind of support team that would be more difficult for people who aren't in your position to establish. That will look good." Janice sounded hopeful for a moment.

"I also know you and Esme are financially stable, you have a house which is good, by the way I'll need to complete a home inspection and all the kids will need their own space. I'll have a checklist," Janice said, raising her eyebrows. There was a smirk on her lips.

"I'm sure Esme will be thrilled to make sure each of the kids have their own space. She's bugging me about redecorating anyway," Carlisle laughed.

Not that Esme was a bother, but she always insisted on explaining to him what she was doing and why she was constantly changing the furniture arrangement and layout of their home. Carlisle pretended to understand, but he really didn't. Still he indulged Esme, helping her repaint rooms in what he was sure the exact same colour they already were, though Esme emphatically told him it wasn't. Carlisle didn't really care. There was nothing more beautiful that his wife covered head to toe in paint after he got a little rambunctious with the rollers.

"I'll get the paperwork started, then" Janice sighed.

"You really think you can make this happen?" Carlisle breathed optimistically.

"Do you doubt me?" Janice asked him with a smirk.

"Thank you," Carlisle gasped, hugging the wind out of her.

Janice laughed. "Are you sure you can do this Carlisle? I mean five teenagers? What is Esme going to say?"

"I have to call her first, but I have a feeling she'll be elated."


	15. Chapter 15

"Esme?" Carlisle said with pent up excitement. He had barely managed to retrain himself until after rounds. He had never been so anxious for his break to come.

"Carlisle, what is it? You sound out of breath. Are you okay?" Esme asked, worried.

"Yes, I'm better than okay actually?" he paused. "You know how we've been talking about adopting?"

"Yes?" Esme said hesitantly.

"Well how would you feel about a trial run?" he said, wishing more than anything that they could have this conversation face to face.

"What?"

"You know the kids I've been talking about, the ones from the wreck?" Carlisle started to explain, knowing he was getting ahead of himself. He couldn't help it. He was ready to jump for joy and they hadn't even asked the kids yet.

"Of course," Esme said. She knew exactly who Carlisle was talking about. Their conversations always included him updating her on their progress and she was always eager to hear how they were doing. Every time Carlisle told her about one of their amazing breakthroughs Esme was amazed at how strong and courageous five teenagers could be. They had suffered through so much in their short lives and she never ceased to be stunned by them and she couldn't deny that her husband positively lit up at the mere thought of them. He was happy and so was she.

"They want to send them off to the state; they want to throw them in the system with the hundreds of other kids that will never get adopted. I couldn't say no, Es. I couldn't turn them away. Please say you're okay with this."

"Carlisle please calm down. I don't want you to have a heart attack."

"I've already talked to Janice about becoming foster parents. I know this isn't exactly what we were planning. To go from talking about adopting a baby to bringing home five teenagers on a temporary basis. I know it sounds like I've sprung this on you and I'm sorry-"

Esme had been trying to interrupt him for over a minute. "Carlisle, calm down," she laughed. "If you think they'll be happy here then of course. Anything we can do to help bring a little light back into their lives. "

"Oh, thank you Esme, I knew you'd understand."

"I do understand, Carlisle. You are so involved with them that I already feel like they are part of the family. I'm not saying it won't be an adjustment, on all sides, but maybe fostering for a while is a great way to see how we would handle bringing a newborn into our lives."

Carlisle laughed. "It'll definitely be interesting to see how five teenagers compare to a newborn."

Esme giggled and then she gasped. "Ohmygosh," she said so quickly, refusing to separate the words.

"What-"

"I have so much to do to get ready? Where will they sleep? We need to buy some extra bedding and…paint!"

Carlisle laughed. "Slow down, Es. It will be several days before we can even look at moving them in. I think it will be a gradual thing, maybe like one at a time. It's not like they're small and can't understand what's happening, but I don't think dropping five teens on the doorstep is the way to go about this."

"You're right," Esme told him, her mind still wandering down the aisles of the closest home décor store.

"Besides, some of them still require more medical care than others. Emmett's cast should be coming off soon. Alice is almost done with the major sessions of her physio. We'll take it day by day and see how things line up," Carlisle suggested. "But we might need to think about stocking the house with food."

"You right, three growing boys," Esme said excitedly. Carlisle knew she loved to cook and with them she would have ample opportunity.

He chuckled. "Hey don't right off the girls. Alice's appetite can rival Emmet's at times."

Esme chuckled. "Oh Carlisle, I'm so excited."

"I know, I haven't been able to stop smiling for a while. My cheeks hurt."

Esme laughed again, feeling completely and utterly weightless despite the lists that were piling up in her head.

"You're really okay with this, Esme?" Carlisle said after a moment, slightly more serious.

"Carlisle Cullen, I am absolutely okay with this. You have just made me incredibly happy. I am thrilled to be able to do something to help these kids. I would kiss you right now but sadly I can't."

Carlisle smiled. "My shift is over soon and then I promise to take you up on that kiss. I love you Esme."

"I love you too, Carlisle. I'll see you when you get home."

"Esme?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Please take it easy on the house. Last time we had to have the door widened to get the furniture through."

Esme smirked. "You know me too well."

Then she hung up and even though Carlisle knew he would probably not recognize his home when he got there, he didn't care. The only thing he would be looking at was his wife as he raced to find her lips to make good on that kiss.


	16. Chapter 16

The days passed in a blur for Carlisle, mainly because he hadn't stopped for more than a moment between work and making arrangements for five teenagers to move in. Carlisle was never so happy to have the ability to go days without sleep. Residency had prepared him well. It wasn't as if Esme didn't insist that he go to bed when he was home, it was just that Carlisle was easily distracted with his wife by his side and one thing led to another and suddenly Carlisle found himself in the familiar predicament of not having enough hours in the day, so he had to continue his work and other _activities_ well into the night. He wasn't complaining though.

"Alright Carlisle, everything is in order," Janice said breathlessly as she dropped a dozen files stuffed to the brim with multi-coloured papers on the lunch table he was occupying. She sighed exhaustedly and Carlisle pushed his tray of uneaten food towards her. She looked like she could use it more than he could. She smiled gratefully and picked up half of the turkey and cheese sandwich before pushing the other half towards him again.

With one hand he ate and with the other he skimmed through the folders. They were filled with the kinds of forms that had multiple copies, similar to the patient reports he had to fill out. No doubt these would require his signature, nowhere short of at least one hundred times, and Esme's as well.

"The kids have all agreed to live with you and Esme on a temporary assignment, the judges have signed off, the courts are informed and things are progressing well," Janice said still a little breathlessly. "In fact the kids seem to be excited at the prospect of getting out of the hospital."

"But?" he prompted her. There seemed to be something she wasn't saying, out loud at least.

"You have to have the therapist sign off on their charts before I can officially approve everything."

"And why do I sense that you presume this will be a problem?" Carlisle questioned.

Janice sighed. "I have been privy to those records as much as you have, since I had to make everything about their situation public knowledge for the courts since this is a fairly unusual situation. I'm just concerned that some of them don't seem ready yet, to leave I mean."

Carlisle listened intently. He had truthfully been worried about the same thing. The kids had made tremendous progress since first beginning the therapy sessions. Emmett had been so angry when he first started that the first few documented visits had ended with him tearing the therapist's notes to shreds in one of his brief but violent outbursts. Now he was in control. Edward had been reserved at first, and though he still refused to say much at all, the few things the therapist did coax out of him remained rather positive. Alice and Jasper seemed to have adjusted well, sounding the most healed of the bunch. Rosalie however worried Carlisle the most. She had yet to admit to what happened on that plane, rejecting any and all attempts by the therapist to have her acknowledge her experiences.

"Dr. Peter's is a good friend of mine," Carlisle said in an offhandish manner. "I'm sure we can make some sort of arrangement."

Janice nodded. "I know you're eager to get them out of here Carlisle, but just promise me you won't rush anything, okay?"

Carlisle opened his mouth to protest. He wasn't about to do anything to harm their welfare or cause them undo setback, with all they had accomplished since the plane crash.

Janice put her hands up, making him pause. "I know you will do everything you can to help them, I wasn't questioning that. But let them ease into the move. It will bring back a lot of memories, being in a real home again. Just prepare yourself, okay?"

Carlisle smiled but nodded encouragingly as Janice passed him a blue ball-point pen and urged him to begin signing his life away.

Edward was the first to be released, having made good progress according to the therapist. He would still attend weekly appointments to discuss his feelings about the changes in his life, but Carlisle was assured that Edward would be capable of dealing with his emotions as they came without having to sit in the hospital constantly. Carlisle had driven him to the house one evening after his shift ended. The boy was impossibly polite, but silent for the most part. He greeted Esme cordially, and something about him seemed to relax in her presence.

He had taken a liking to Esme immediately, though he seldom expressed it, except for his polite words and small smiles as she doted on him, ensuring he had enough to eat and inquiring as to whether or not he slept well. Edward noted that among her list of growing accreditations, she was a remarkable cook, leagues beyond that of the hospital cafeteria.

This was the first time since moving into the rather large house that Esme was grateful for all the spare bedrooms. Upon learning that she would be housing a group of teenagers she had taken the liberty of converting Carlisle's library into a bedroom, which was consequently where Edward had settled. The boy seemed to enjoy the accommodations and Esme thought the floor to ceiling wall of books made an excellent backdrop for a bedroom. It was scholarly and homely all at once. She had half a mind to build a small fire place in the room as well, but her talents were required elsewhere as she prepared the rest of the house for the expected arrivals.

Alice was the next to be released and for that Edward was grateful, since he was starting to feel lonely without the constant banter that he had come to appreciate while rooming with the others at the hospital. He especially missed Alice and he had been worried about how she was coping without him there to talk her through her worries. Jasper was great with her, but Edward knew he was the only one who Alice readily talked about her dreams to.

"Oh, you have a lovely home," Alice gushed. She was almost speechless as she walked in door, Carlisle close on her heels.

"Thank you," Esme said with a smile, watching Alice's eyes grow into wide saucers.

"No, I mean you have a seriously nice home. I love the crown moulding on the ceiling. It offsets the vaulted ceilings perfectly. And dark grey was a perfect fit for this room. With windows like that I'm sure the natural light balances the dark tones perfectly."

Esme's face broke into a smile. Carlisle chuckled. "Now you have someone who can truly appreciate your work, honey," he said, kissing his wife's cheek. Carlisle understood medicine, interior design, not so much.

"You did all this?" Alice asked looking at Esme with shock and a new found admiration.

"Yes, I restore old homes for a living."

"Awesome," Alice breathed. Carlisle couldn't help but grin.

"I'm working on several projects here in town. If you'd like to, you could come with me sometime. You seem to have a natural eye for this sort of stuff. I'd love a second opinion," Esme offered.

"Really?" Alice asked breathlessly.

Esme nodded.

"I'd love too!" Alice squealed. And without thinking she threw her arms around Esme.

Alice backed up suddenly looking startled by her own reaction. "Opps, sorry," she whispered.

Esme took her hands and smiled. "Nothing to be sorry about," she whispered and Alice nodded.

"Tomorrow is paint swatch day," Esme continued. "Are you up for that?"

"Definitely," Alice grinned.

"Come on," Carlisle said taking Alice's bag. He chuckled under his breath, having the sneaking suspicion that the two of them were contemplating a total revamp of the entire house.

"I didn't have much time to prepare," Esme said apologetically, opening the second door on her right as she reached the top of the stairs. Esme had decided to put Alice and Rosalie in the two spare bedrooms that connected in the middle via a giant walk in closet. A roomy bathroom jutted off of the closet giving the girls lots of privacy, which Esme knew would be important as they settled in.

Down the hall was Edward's room, the converted library. Emmett would eventually find his way into the room Carlisle had once ambitioned to use as a workout room, at least, that was the room the treadmill was in. It was mainly for show since both he and Esme preferred running outside to using the treadmill. There were also a few sets of weights left in the room which Esme sensed Emmett would appreciate. Jasper had the room at the end of the hall and all three boys would share the small bathroom adjacent to it.

Carlisle's office and his and Esme's bedroom was on the third floor, which still gave them some privacy while ensuring they were close enough if any of the kids ever needed them.

As Esme ushered Alice into her room her jaw dropped. "Wow," she whispered under her breath and Esme couldn't contain her smile. It was so strange and undeniably exciting to have another girl in the house.

"You like it?" Esme asked as Carlisle placed Alice's small bag on the bed.

Alice spun in a circle. "Love it," she whispered.

Esme gestured over to the large floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the meadow at the back of the house.

"If you're not a morning person we can pick up some blinds to block out the sun," Esme offered.

"No it's perfect. I like rising with the sun," Alice chimed, flitting closer to the window. She leaned against a polished, wooden railing that ran along two walls of the room, dividing the windows. Something about the feel of the wood in her hands was strangely familiar.

She bent down and gasped, backing away, noticing two things. One, the railing had been an afterthought in the room. Though it didn't look out of place Alice could tell that it had not been there when Esme originally designed this room. It looked rather new. It reminded Alice of a _barre_, the sort of handrail she would use to help her through her ballet warm up exercises. The second thing she noticed was that only half the room was covered in carpet, the rest, extending along the window, was covered in what people in the dance world called a _slow_ floor. It's what ballet dancers preferred because it was somewhat sticky, making sure they were able to move around without slipping.

Alice felt the tears pool in the corners of her eyes.

"I know you're still in physio," Esme said, coming to stand by Alice's side, "but I thought this might help you build your tolerance back up. It's not a great deal of space, but I'm sure you could manage a pirouette or two."

Alice turned, searching Esme's face. How was it that these people she barely knew had made her feel wanted and loved for the first time in a long time? She couldn't express enough how grateful she was so she all but jumped towards Esme wrapping her arms around her neck.

"Thank you," Alice whispered. "You have no idea what this means to me," she cried softly.

Esme rubbed her back soothingly, watching Carlisle who was smiling and who looked on the verge of tears himself. And for the first time Esme's life changed, in a way that was similar to Carlisle's, definitely for the better, but without her even realizing that it was happening.

There was a soft knock at the door as Alice pulled away and Esme reached up to wipe the tears from the girl's face.

"Am I interrupting?" a voice said.

"Edward!" Alice cheered rushing over to hug him. In a way that was completely Alice she leapt towards him, throwing her arms around his neck. He was taller than Esme so she hung over the ground for a second before dropping to her feet.

"I missed you," Alice said cheerily, obviously ecstatic about being reunited.

"And I missed you," Edward said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "How is everyone?" he inquired right away.

Alice nodded. "Good, but they're getting antsy." Her gaze shifted to Carlisle.

"Soon," Carlisle said. "We are just ironing out a few more things and then Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie will be moving in too."

Alice seemed to dance on the balls of her feet and Esme knew it would be impossible to wipe that grin off her face.

"Do you like your room?" Edward asked, nodding to the barre.

"It's perfect," Alice squealed, her eyes finding Esme's again. This time Alice managed to keep her tears in check.

"Well you should come see the library I'm living in," Edward said, sighing happily. Carlisle chuckled, happy that his extensive book collection could be put to good use for once. He enjoyed reading, but not half as much as Edward. Esme also liked to sit down with a good book, but she mainly preferred when Carlisle read to her in bed which always seemed to put her to sleep in the end.

Edward tugged gently on Alice's arm, leading her down the hall.

For a moment the two teens disappeared, arm in arm, but then Alice appeared again suddenly, squealing another thank you, this time throwing her tiny arms around Carlisle's waist. She squeezed with all the might in her tiny, four foot, ten inch body before skipping down the hall after Edward.

Carlisle was shell-shocked and there was that glassy look in his eyes again as Esme snuggled into his side and reached up to kiss his lips.

"Well, that was-"

"Yeah," Esme agreed. "It was."

"Perfect."

Esme nodded against his chest and for the rest of the evening, after an official tour of the house from Esme which Alice thoroughly enjoyed, the two teens laid across Edward's bed, conversing happily as the stacks of books steadily increased around them until they threatened to engulf them entirely.

Esme and Carlisle figured the teens were a little passed needing a predetermined bedtime so they wished them goodnight on their way up to bed. Edward nodded and wished them the same but Alice immediately bounded from her position, sprawled on her stomach across Edward's comforter, and promptly hugged both Carlisle and Esme, thanking them again for making everything perfect.

Esme smiled, her heart beating erratically as she watched the young girl embrace her husband. Carlisle positively beamed. It seemed Alice's good spirits were rubbing off on everybody. It was also very apparent that Alice was a hugger, not that they minded. Carlisle and Esme resolved that nothing had ever sounded better than the quiet laughter that echoed from Edward's room as he and Alice talked late into the night. If this is what making these kids happy felt like then Esme would be content to do it forever and she could tell easily that so would Carlisle.


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning Esme wasn't surprised to find both Edward and Alice passed out in his bed since they had spent the early morning hours reading and chatting like old friends. It was nice to see that Edward was far more talkative with Alice around.

Carlisle had said that Edward tended to clam up in new social situations, which is why he had been very quiet since arriving at the Cullen house. It was a reaction to the trauma he had endured. New was frightening. New meant change, and what Edward craved most of all, what they all craved, was normalcy. No planes falling out of the sky, no burying family members, no change. They all just needed life to slow down for a while, to remember what it was like to just be able to relax. Everything had been happening so fast, people appeared in their lives to gather some sort of information from them before disappearing forever. With time Carlisle knew Edward would come to enjoy being in people's company again but until then Esme and Carlisle would be patient with him.

Edward was comfortable with Alice already and with her around conversation became easier for him, not that Alice really gave Edward a lot of opportunity to answer, but that's how they liked it. Alice liked to talk out her feelings and Edward liked to listen, quietly taking it all in and really understanding what she was trying to convey. They were like two halves of the same puzzle, seeming to balance out each other's understanding of the other perfectly.

Esme smiled, knowing Carlisle would have seen the same thing before heading off to work.

Alice was curled on her side, her head at the foot of the bed, one of Edward's pillows tucked underneath it. She was covered with the thick, down comforter, making her look even tinier than she already was.

Edward had fallen asleep in the opposite direction, choosing to sleep on top of the covers. He looked especially relaxed, snoring quietly, while he lay with his arms tucked behind his head.

Esme found it endearing to observe the way the kids slept. She smiled to herself, closing the door softly so as not to wake them. She knew Edward liked to sleep in. She was already dreading having to wake him up in the mornings when she and Carlisle got them enrolled in school again.

They would be starting the year late, with September already coming to an end, but right now the most important thing was getting them settled in their new environment and ensuring that their immediate injuries were healed.

After that, continued therapy would be important as would be establishing some routine. All the kids were still in high school. Edward, Alice and Rosalie were juniors. They still had another year of school after the current one so hopefully they could make up the missed courses in summer school and still graduate on time.

Jasper and Emmett would be another story.

Emmett would probably miss a good portion of the first semester of his senior year. He would definitely have to return to summer school in order to graduate this year, or else consider taking a victory lap year and finishing out his courses that way.

Jasper on the other hand had spent many summers at his military prep school and subsequently earned several extra credits. He was scheduled to be able to graduate early, only needing one full semester of his senior year to complete his course requirements. Even if he didn't return for first semester he could always enrol after Christmas and still graduate this year. Esme was excited at the prospect of graduation and school in general, but she and Carlisle would have to talk to the kids and figure the best way to go about it.

With those thoughts racing through her mind, Esme yawned and slowly made her way down the stairs, turning the coffee maker on as she passed through the kitchen, finding her favourite spot to spend the mornings in the family room. She curled up in the oversized recliner, the morning paper already set on the armrest from where Carlisle had left it this morning. She could smell him in the chair, his warm spice body wash, and the lilac shampoo she insisted on filling the shower with. He always joked with her about smelling like a flower. She just shrugged, knowing she could never get enough of him smelling like that.

Eventually Esme heard two sets of footsteps chasing each other down the stairs and she moved to greet them in the kitchen. Edward wished her a good morning and slid onto the first bar stool at the island counter. He looked very bed head chic with his reddish-brown, almost copper hair, spiked in all sorts of crazy directions. Esme had a feeling Edward's hair would be very low maintenance if this is how he rolled out of bed. She could tell he was still groggy as she pulled her coffee cup to her lips. He squinted his eyes a few times, as if willing them to stay open.

She wondered how much of his early wake up was attributed to his stomach growling and how much was because of Alice's prodding.

Alice bounced around the island to give Esme a hug. It had only been one day but Esme had been prepared for this and was ready when Alice's thin arms wrapped around her neck.

"Good morning," Alice chimed, obviously wide awake and eager to start the day. Esme smiled at her positivity, especially for early Friday morning.

Esme yawned again, which seemed to be echoed by Edward as Alice took a seat next to him, having to jump a little to get on the bar stool. Edward snorted at her and Alice punched him playfully on the shoulder.

Esme noted that the three stools they had wouldn't be enough to hold all five teenagers once the others arrived and she assumed they would prefer to eat at the island opposed to in the formal dining room. Teenagers were more laid back and this way it would be easier to manage meals with everything and everybody in one place. As decided earlier, Esme and Carlisle had stocked the house with groceries, boxes and boxes of sweet, tempting things they had never had in the house before. Esme wanted to make sure all appetites were covered so they had basically bought one of everything in the store. The cashiers had looked at them like they were insane, but Carlisle assured her that the teenagers would eat it and that they would be doing shopping like that at least once a week.

"Do we have any coffee drinkers in the house?" Esme asked, topping off her cup.

"Coffee stunts growth Esme, and I'm short enough already," Alice complained.

Edward chuckled but shook his head. Esme nodded in approval. She wasn't sure Alice was the type of person that needed any extra caffeine.

As if reading her thoughts Edward laughed. "Alice is hyper enough already, anyway."

"Juice then?" Esme offered. "Or maybe milk?"

Edward agreed to his usual glass of orange juice and Alice just opted for water.

"Did you sleep well?" Esme asked, like she had almost every morning Edward had been here alone. She leaned across the counter, watching the two teenagers interact with avid fascination.

Edward shrugged. "Someone kept kicking me," he joked, giving Alice a crooked grin.

Alice shrugged back. "Maybe someone was snoring," she said innocently.

They were both silent for a second before breaking out into a chorus of laughter. Esme couldn't imagine a better way to spend the morning and now reminisced over all the times she had sat here alone, with Carlisle at work. At the time she had been content but now she realized she had always been rather lonely. It was nice to have company.

"So, what are your plans for the day?" Esme asked, looking from Edward to Alice. Both of them looked kind of shocked at being asked. It was apparent that neither of them really had any idea. Esme had wanted to wait until all the kids were here before attempting any major shopping for clothes and other supplies but since it was uncertain as to when the others would be arriving she knew they couldn't wait.

"Well," Esme said, cocking her head. "I was thinking we should start with breakfast. Then maybe we can head to the mall for a few hours."

Both kids nodded their approval with her plan so far.

"I know Alice and I need to pick out some paint swatches," Esme said, as Alice squealed in delight remembering Esme's earlier promise to let her help out with some of her current house projects.

"I also know you two are in need of a wardrobe overhaul to fill your closets with the basics and I'm sure there are other things you'd like to pick up too. We'll probably have to do some more furniture shopping eventually, once you decide what you'll need in terms of dressers and stuff but that shopping's probably best done online anyway," Esme mused.

Alice seemed excited at the prospect of shopping. Edward was just happy to be doing something other than sitting in a hospital bed.

"Then we'll stop by here again and drop off our stuff. Alice you can come downtown with me for a while and we can decide which colours go on which walls. Edward your welcome to come as well or you can stay here for a while and wait on Carlisle. He should be home by three."

Edward decided to wait at the house for Carlisle. He liked hearing about his day and all the interesting cases he had. Edward had never given a lot of thought to what he wanted to do after high school. He'd always been a top student but it was only lately that Edward noticed his fascination for medicine.

Esme smiled at Edward's decision. She thought it would be nice for Carlisle to come home to that and she also made a mental note to get some house keys cut for the kids. With teenagers it would be different. She didn't have to worry about having a constant babysitter and she assumed that they would eventually come and go on their own a lot, once school was started. It was crazy, thinking about all the small things that popped up that Esme had never really thought about. House keys were just the beginning of a growing list.

"Sounds like a plan," Esme said. "Any requests for dinner?" she asked, knowing that would be when all four of them were together, but Edward and Alice both assured her that they weren't picky as long as she was in charge of the cooking, so Esme voted for Carlisle to barbeque hamburgers and opted for an easy burger and salad night since she assumed the day would be busy.

They decided to kept breakfast simple as well, deciding on bagels and cream cheese.

After they finished Esme left Carlisle a note on the giant wipe board stuck to the fridge. She told him to start the burgers when he got home and that she loved him. Edward smiled at that, seeing how much Carlisle and Esme truly loved each other. It reminded him of his parents. On that note he had to excuse himself, not sure he would be able to compose himself enough to remain at the counter. Alice soon followed after helping Esme clear the dishes.

She knocked on Edward's door before entering. They had gotten so used to being around each other in the hospital, never really able to hide anything, that Alice had easily picked up on Edward's cues. She knew something had upset him and wanted to make sure he was okay.

"Edward is everything alright?" she asked gently. He turned to face her. She could tell he hadn't been crying, but he was close to it.

"It just sneaks up on you sometimes, you know?" he said.

Alice nodded, flitting to his side. She hugged him tightly.

"I almost forget it all happened and then it will just suddenly rush back to me. It's like getting punched in the gut. It almost knocks the wind out of me."

Alice nodded. She knew exactly how he was feeling and that's what allowed them to just sit in silence for several minutes before Edward patted her hand, letting her know that he was okay again.

Alice kissed his cheek lightly before slipping away, allowing Edward to change as she went in search of the small bag she had brought from the hospital with her own change of clothes.

Esme was surprised that both kids beat her to the front door, completely dressed and ready to go. Esme assumed it was because they didn't really have that much in their rooms to keep them occupied yet. Once they did Esme assumed it would take a lot longer and some empty threats to coax them into the car.

Surprisingly no one fought over sitting shotgun in the Volvo. Edward, ever the gentleman, opened the door for Alice and allowed her to claim the passenger seat. The ride to the mall took less than ten minutes, even with the traffic and it was easy to see that Alice would be Esme's shopping partner. She was visibly shaking with anticipation. Edward was more reserved but Alice's happiness was contagious.

The kids seemed a little uneasy at first, having Esme spend money on them. Esme assured them that it wasn't her money, but the money that the government provides foster parents with to help support the children they are fostering. Not that Esme and Carlisle really needed it. They both had very well paying jobs and Carlisle's family was well off to begin with so they were set for life whether they ever worked another day ever again.

Esme promised the kids that when Carlisle had some time they would go set up new bank accounts so each of the kids had access to their own portion of the money to buy the things they wanted. Carlisle and Esme would take care of all their needs once everyone was used to the idea of having money spent on them, but Esme knew as teenagers they would probably like having some spending money. It would give them a little bit of freedom and independence, something they would need in order to begin feeling like their old selves again.

Edward and Alice seemed to like that idea. Esme also thought it had been well planned out by Carlisle. There would be other legal and financial things to sort out eventually with some of the kids being named in wills and such but for right now Carlisle had put that all on hold, hoping not to bombard them as they adjusted. They would have to make a visit to the lawyer's office eventually to help the kids sort through their old lives, but not this week or the next. Esme wasn't even sure it would be this month.

Once the money situation was settled they began their journey through the mall. Both teens needed the basics…new pyjamas, undergarments, shoes. Neither Alice nor Edward seemed very particular about what they wore on their feet, under their clothes, or to bed so they both went in opposite directions in the first department store they found and met Esme again in the toiletries with full hands. Together Alice and Edward filled the cart as Esme tagged along behind watching the two teen's stock up on everything from toothbrushes to hair gel and everything in between.

After checking out they made a pit stop at the car to get rid of their bags before heading to the opposite side of the mall. As expected from most teenagers, Alice and Edward were much pickier about what they wore on the outside so this part of the trip took longer.

Alice was quick, knowing her exact sizes and already having a predetermined style. Edward was fairly casual in the way he liked to look, so Alice managed to help him secure a relaxed but polished wardrobe. They made a great shopping team and Alice could seriously consider a career as a professional shopper. She even tried to drag them into several stores where she saw clothes on the mannequins that would be perfect for Esme. After ensuring Alice that she had enough clothes, to which Alice responded that you could never possibly have enough clothes, they stopped for a quick lunch in the food court before continuing.

Both kids got lost in the Apple store and Esme knew it was only a matter of time before the electronics would have to be bought. She was going to hold off on that trip until after she talked to Carlisle some more. It was obvious that all the kids would need access to the internet so they would be adding some laptops to the list. There were currently only two computers in the house, the one in Carlisle's office that he did most of his research on and the one Esme used to keep track of her designs and projects.

They would also all need working cell phones, especially once school started for them. Esme wondered whether there was some sort of unlimited family plan since she figured they would be texting up a storm in no time. But for today both kids settled for new I-pods. Esme had found that music could be exceptionally healing and was happy to let them add that one little thing to their lives again.

Edward made a quick detour into a used CD store emerging with a box of what looked to be music by classical composers and Alice wandered into a store specializing in dancewear before finding Esme in the hardware aisle of another department store.

After paint swatches in various colour schemes were chosen they left the store and headed to the parking lot with Edward insisting that crème, eggshell, and off-white all looked the same to him. Esme laughed and Alice tried once again to show him the difference but when the two of them broke down in giggles the conversation was forgotten.

Esme pulled into the driveway and the kids helped her unpack, excited to take their things to their rooms. Esme changed her clothes, finding something closer to sweats to wear, since the house she was working on was in the process of being dry-walled and there was dust everywhere. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, hoping to keep the mess to a minimum.

Alice found Esme several minutes later in the kitchen searching the fridge for some bottled water. Alice looked the same since the new clothes needed to be run through the washer which was on the list for tonight; though, she had exchanged her worn sneakers for a pair of black tennis shoes.

Esme smiled at Alice's enthusiasm. She sent Alice off to the pantry to find some granola bars for the road. Carlisle had been the last one to stock the pantry and she was certain that it would take her ages to search out her desired snack. She hoped Alice would have better luck.

Esme then retrieved her laptop from her bedroom and deposited it in Edward's lap before leaving. She left him to search I-tunes and wait for Carlisle. Alice raced up the stairs to find her I-pod, leaving it with Edward so he could fill it with some of the classical music he seemed to like. It turned out they both enjoyed the classics, Edward listening to it and Alice preferring to dance to it.

Before leaving, Esme also gave each of the kids a house key that she had remembered to get cut while in the hardware section.

Alice waved goodbye to Edward and soon they were off, heading back downtown in the same direction of the mall. When Esme turned down a narrow street lined with tall maples Alice got excited. The homes were old and intricately designed, each one completely unique, built in the classic Victorian style.

Esme pulled into the driveway of a massive lot with a towering fortress of a house, which was painted a shade of deep grey. It wasn't quite black but Alice already loved it.

Later that afternoon, Esme and Alice returned home, to enjoy a light dinner with Carlisle and Edward. Carlisle couldn't help but feel at peace, watching the two teens sit and enjoy themselves. Alice's appetite made an appearance as she ate far more than Edward and Esme seriously contemplated where the tiny teenager put it all.

As the day came to an end, the four of them gathered in the family room together, putting on a movie. Carlisle chose a comedy, purposely steering way from anything horror related or action based with a lot of explosions.

Both Alice and Edward seemed to have settled in okay, and were even more thrilled when Carlisle informed them that Jasper would be coming to the house by the end of the weekend.


	18. Chapter 18

Saturday's were always Esme's favourite because they were the days she got to wake up next to Carlisle. She loved getting up early, if only to watch him inhale and exhale peacefully, before pouncing on him and devouring his first morning ramblings with passionate kisses.

But today he surprised her by being the one to wake her up. Carlisle ran feathery light kisses down Esme's neck, pulling her out of the sweet dreams that were making her smile in her sleep. Esme's breathing picked up steadily and soon her eyes began to flutter as she took in the sight of her husband. The morning light basked the room in a light glow and always surround Carlisle's head like a halo as he leaned over her, eyes twinkling.

"Good morning," he said with a playful grin.

"Mmmhmm, good morning," Esme said, her voice a little rough as she reached up to tuck a stray strand of blond hair behind his ear. She loved how his hair was always in a state of disarray in the morning. It was incredibly sexy.

Carlisle ran his lips along her forehead, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. "How did you sleep, my dear?" he whispered, placing a breathy kiss against her hairline and then behind her ear.

"Like a rock. Having teenagers around is exhausting, but in a good way," Esme mused with a smile. "I tried to wait up for you but you were working late in your office."

"Is that why you're dressed in this particularly revealing nightgown?" Carlisle asked with a grin. His heart had almost thumped out of his chest when he finally came to bed last night just after midnight. Esme had fallen asleep on top of the covers, clad only in her burgundy nightdress. In the moonlight that filtered in through the skylight, she seemed to call to him like a siren: soft milky white skin, billows of caramel curls spread out against her pillow, sweet pink lips begging to be kissed. It was all he could do not to wake her from her sleep to show her just how love crazy she made him.

Instead he watched her for a long time, content to listen to her calm breathing. He had crawled into bed next to her, dragging the bottom of the covers over top of them. He pulled her close to him, wondering how he got so lucky, promising to show her how much he loved her as soon as her eyes opened in the morning.

Esme smiled as his lips travelled across her jaw, down her throat and settled at the hollow of her neck.

"Maybe," she smiled a little mischievously, smoothing the wrinkles out of the silk fabric. "Or maybe I just like this nightgown. It happens to be my favourite."

"I should know that, since I bought it for you," Carlisle chuckled before pressing a flurry of hot kisses across her collar bone. He pulled the thin strap of the silk nightgown over her shoulder using his teeth. Esme moaned as Carlisle nuzzled his cheek against her shoulder. "It's my favourite too," he panted breathlessly.

Carlisle played with the lace trim at the bottom of the burgundy nightgown which rested on Esme's thigh. He ran his hands along the smooth skin of her leg, drawing small circles, which steadily grew larger, until both he and his wife were panting with unspoken need.

He looked up into her face, seeing the familiar dark desire that consumed her as she pulled his face to hers, capturing his lips. They kissed deeply, breathing each other in and silencing the moans they were eliciting from one another.

"The kids will be up soon," Esme reminded Carlisle in between kisses.

He seemed confused as she rolled them over so she was straddling his hips. Her lips ran across his stubbly face, finding the sweet spot on his neck that made him groan and hug her hips closer to him. He growled throatily as she moved against him and all reality was forgotten.

"They need breakfast," Esme explained as Carlisle tried to regain his composure. Even though Esme knew they now had responsibilities, she was losing her resolve as quickly as Carlisle and soon clothes were being discarded in a particularly unorganized fashion, finding their way to various corners of the room.

"We'll be quick," Carlisle promised her, knowing he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. Esme moaned in approval, already feeling as if she might come apart at the seams. They came together quickly but passionately. They were too eager for each other to move any slower. Everything in their life was coming together. It was new and exciting but it felt so right. It was all coming together as perfectly as the moment of sheer bliss they shared in the early morning.

After a shower and a cup of coffee each, Esme had the bacon started and was waiting for the kids to wake before starting the pancakes in case they liked anything extra added to them.

Carlisle came up behind her as she flipped the bacon, pressing himself against her as he placed his coffee cup in the sink.

"This morning was fun, my love," he whispered in her ear, eliciting an aroused shiver from her.

She smiled, turning her head as he stole a kiss.

"The shower was fun too," she added. "We should do that more often."

There was a devilish twinkle in her eye. Esme had backed him up against the shower wall and turned the cold water on full blast, knowing exactly what it would do to him that early in the morning. Needless to say, there was no need for hot water; they made their own steam this morning.

Carlisle nodded in agreement, resting his head on Esme's shoulder. They both sighed contentedly and before long the sound of feet racing each other down the stairs could be heard.

"Morning!" Alice chimed as she entered he kitchen. "Mmm, it smells amazing. I'm starving," she said, wrapping Esme in a hug before moving to Carlisle. It continued to amaze Carlisle that one tiny girl who had seen the horrors she did managed to exude so much love and happiness. He couldn't deny the swell of pride and love he felt for her when she hugged him and he could see it echoed in Esme's face as well.

He was just happy that both Alice and Edward seemed to be settling in okay. Edward was still quiet, but he had lost both his parents and would take time to adjust to things being different. Alice on the other hand seemed to embrace the different. Maybe it was the fact that the people here actually wanted her around that made her so desperate to show them how much she appreciated them each and every day. Carlisle decided then and there to make a point of telling each of the kids that both he and Esme were happy to have them here. He never wanted them to feel unloved and unwanted.

"Good morning Carlisle, good morning Esme," Edward groaned, still stuck halfway in between sleep and consciousness. Carlisle chuckled and Esme placed a plate of bacon on the island between him and Alice, knowing food always seemed to perk him up.

Soon a plate of chocolate chip pancakes found their way in front of both Alice and Carlisle; they both shared a sweet tooth, while Esme and Edward shared as stack of blueberry pancakes. Edward ate his with only butter but Alice drowned hers in so much maple syrup, Esme was certain she had exceeded her sugar quota for the day. Carlisle grinned at how happy the kids were as they laughed and joked through breakfast.

"So what's going on today?" Alice asked, her cheeks full of breakfast. She looked like a tiny little chipmunk and Carlisle had to fight the urge to laugh.

"Well, Carlisle got sizes from Jasper, so I thought I might go out and do his shopping for him before he comes home this weekend. He doesn't really seem to mind what we buy by the sounds of it. I was hoping you two would come with me again. I know we were just there yesterday but it is much easier having a teenager's perspective."

Both kids nodded. Alice was ecstatic and Edward agreed to help with the basics as long as he was allowed to leave once Alice started to run wild, pulling clothes off the mannequins and such.

Carlisle raised his eyes but Edward shook his head in a 'you don't want to know' sort of way, making Esme and Alice burst into a fit of giggles.

"Shopping," Alice sang excitedly as she dropped her plate in the sink and skipped to the doorway to get dressed for the day. She winced slightly as her leg twisted awkwardly. Sometimes she still had pain at the surgery site. Everything had healed perfectly but her physiotherapist said some mild cramping and a dull ache would be normal for several months.

Carlisle stood immediately as Esme looked over in concern. Alice had bent to massage her calf muscle.

"Are you okay, Alice?" Carlisle asked. He motioned to walk towards her but she spun around to stop him. There was a big grin on her face so Carlisle and Esme relaxed.

"It just hurts sometimes," she mused, biting her bottom lip. It was more of a sharp stabbing pain, which wasn't really the dull ache her physiotherapist had described, but Alice was determined to dance again and she did her exercises religiously, slowly building up her strength again.

"Are you sure?" Carlisle pressed. "I want to know if you're having any pain, or if anything else is wrong. Both Esme and I are here for whatever you need, got it?" he said, extending the comment to Edward as well. Both kids nodded.

"I'm fine," she promised him. "See," she said, doing a fancy kind of pirouette before skipping out of the kitchen. It was so unbelievably graceful that Carlisle and Esme were stunned into momentary silence. They heard Alice squeal happily as she ran up the stairs, obviously elated that she had perfectly executed the dance step.

Edward smirked, hopping off his stool and placing his dishes in the sink. He thanked Esme for breakfast before excusing himself to get ready for another day of shopping.

"I want to get some mirrors," Esme said to Carlisle as he helped her load the dishwasher.

"Mirrors?" he questioned.

"Like the ones they put up in dance studios so the dancers can see themselves to make sure they're doing the movements right."

"Where are you thinking of putting them?" Carlisle asked, catching onto Esme's idea immediately.

"Just along the back wall of Alice's room, where the windows end. That way she'll be able to see herself when she practices."

Carlisle nodded. "I like it. Did you see how happy she was just now? Even though her leg was bothering her she didn't care. She was just ecstatic. We did that Es. We helped her get to this point."

Carlisle pulled Esme into his arms and kissed her fiercely, refusing to release her until she was breathless.

"Carlisle, the kids," she blushed.

"They're both upstairs," he said, running his hands down her back. "I love you so much, Esme. Thank you for doing this with me."

"I love you too, Carlisle, more than anything. And you don't have to thank me for this. I feel so blessed having the kids here."

Carlisle hugged her for another minute, loving the feeling of her in his arms.

"I'll call the glass company this afternoon and have them take measurements."

"Thank you, hunny. Now go get ready. I'll finish up here," Esme said, ushering him upstairs.

Today's shopping was different. Carlisle was with them, so after doing his job of approving all Jasper's essentials, Edward left Esme and Alice to fill Jasper's wardrobe, while he and Carlisle expanded the household's electronics exponentially.

First Carlisle got all five teenagers set up with new cell phones. He was happy Edward was here to put the teenage stamp of approval on everything. He was also happy he managed to find a plan with unlimited texting since he was sure the kids would be unstoppable once they got reacquainted with their electronic friends.

Next, Edward and Carlisle explored the movie section, buying up all the new releases. Carlisle was impressed when Edward didn't shy away from covers that had images of explosions and terrified faces. He took it as a good sign that Edward was starting to come to terms with the accident.

Carlisle also purchased two brand new laptops, knowing the kids would need them for school work eventually. After pausing for lunch with the girls and putting their purchases in the car, Carlisle made a quick detour to a book store on their way home.

"I've ordered a medical journal that's just arrived. Does anyone mind stopping in for a second?"

Edward was out of the car first, making Esme chuckle. "I didn't think you were going to get an argument from him," she said.

As Carlisle and Esme walked to the counter both kids disappeared down one of the many aisles, getting lost in a maze of books.

Edward skimmed the classic literature section, pausing for a moment before a wall of classic piano compositions. He moved on hurriedly and found Alice collapsed on a beanbag chair with a book pressed to her nose.

He read the title and grimaced. "Alice, please tell me you are not a Nightlight fanatic."

Alice stuck her tongue out at him as he dropped into the beanbag chair beside her.

Edward rolled his eyes. "I don't understand what all the fuss is about a bunch of vampires that sparkle in the moonlight."

"It's not because of the vampires, Edward. It's an epic love story. How can you not like that?"

He shrugged.

"I just don't get the main character. He says he loves this girl so much, enough to risk killing her and having the entire town find out he is the monster out of their nightmares, and then in the second book he ditches her with a werewolf? And speaking of the girl, that Ella Goose is just a walking disaster, I mean if she was any clumsier she could probably kill herself in a padded room."

"Ha, you have read them!" Alice said, jumping to her feet.

"I never said I didn't. I said I wasn't particularly a fan of them."

"Sure, that's what they all say," Alice huffed, dropping back into her seat. She stared at him out of the corner of her eye, a strange pout on her lips.

"What?" Edward sighed.

"Nope," Alice said jutting out her chin. "You don't like the books, so I won't tell you."

"Alice," Edward said, tilting his head. "What is it?"

She shook her head so he took more drastic measures. He poked her side, making her squirm slightly under his touch. He knew she was extremely ticklish.

"Tell me," he warned.

"Fine, okay, you win," she said. "You just always reminded me of the main character so it surprises me that you don't understand him, that's all."

Edward scoffed. "Really? How?"

"You know, you're smart, thoughtful, passionate. You're a good listener and…"

"It's the hair, isn't it?"

Alice smirked and Edward laughed out loud. "Well, I'll assure you that I mastered the bedhead look way before any sparkly vampire did."

Alice placed the book back on the shelf, the entire display dedicated to the saga.

"So, are you team-"

"Alice? Edward! We're leaving," Esme called. The teens jumped to their feet and raced each other to the door.

"Wait you didn't answer my question," Alice panted as she climbed into the car after Edward. Carlisle started the engine and pulled out of the lot as Alice waited patiently for Edward's answer.

Edward stared out the window pretending to ignore her but when Alice crossed her arms and huffed with a very adorable pout Edward couldn't hide his smile.

"Vampires versus werewolves, huh?" he mused. "I guess I'd side with the vampires."

Alice squealed and launched herself at Edward to capture him in a hug. Carlisle and Esme exchanged confused glances, having listened to their strange conversation, but since the kids seemed to be happy didn't press the issue. They both seemed to have accepted the fact that teenagers were going to be difficult to understand most of the time.

Once home, Carlisle prepared for work. He didn't usually work on the weekends except for when he covered for a fellow physician but with most of the kids still at the hospital Carlisle felt the need to look in on them and he had a meeting with their therapist, who also happened to be one of his good friends.

"I'll see you in a few hours," Carlisle said, kissing the top of Esme's head. She was bent over the kitchen counter, flipping through a home décor magazine, waiting for the bag of popcorn to finish in the microwave.

"Say hi to the kids for me," Esme said. "I wish you could just bring them all home tonight."

Carlisle nodded. "I hate having them separated, but it is the way it has to be for now. I'm talking to doctor Peters today and hopefully he will have good news for us. I'd love to be able to bring Rosalie and Emmett home this weekend as well."

Esme grinned. "That would be nice. Will you call me if you find out anything?"

"Don't I always call?" Carlisle smirked.

"Yes you do," Esme agreed. "I'm just excited."

Carlisle kissed her again, their lips melting together. "You're going to be late," Esme breathed against him.

"Hmm?" Carlisle murmured against her, his hands slipping under the back of her shirt. "You're very distracting, my love."

"I'll try not to be," Esme giggled as his lips slid down her neck, making her pant.

"Too late."

A loud beep broke them apart as the microwave stopped spinning.

Carlisle grimaced but Esme smirked. "It's just as well, you have to leave."

Carlisle snuck in one more kiss, moving her hair to press his lips to her neck as she reached into the microwave for the bag of popcorn. "I won't be that late tonight. We'll finish this later," Carlisle whispered in her ear.

Esme shivered with anticipation. "I look forward to that Doctor Cullen," Esme said seductively.

Carlisle groaned, but took his keys off the counter before his inappropriate thoughts of taking Esme against the counter got any more defined.

"I love you," he called before closing the front door.

"Love you," Esme called back. She couldn't shake her smile for a long time.

After melting some extra butter on the popcorn at Alice's request Esme took the bowl of popcorn to the sitting room where Edward and Alice had already started a movie. The room was dark, the only light coming from the television.

Alice was curled up in the middle of the sofa, the giant, plush cushions threatening to swallow her. She had her eyes partially covered as Esme settled the popcorn bowl in her lap.

"Thanks," Alice whispered, eyes still shielded by her fingers.

Esme chuckled as Alice let out a little peep. Esme turned to see someone's head go flying on the screen. The effects were cheesy but Alice was eating it up.

"Where's Edward?" Esme asked, seeing that his spot was empty. Alice moved one of her hands to point to the hall that led to the formal dining room. There had been no reason for the kids to eat in the dining room yet so Esme wondered what had caught his attention.

She walked softly, coming into the room almost silently before she paused. Edward stood at the bench, fingers running along the white keys without depressing them enough to make noise.

Edward had noticed the piano. It was beautiful; sleek and black, a baby grand, nothing like the one his mother taught him on, but his had been an antique, over a hundred years old, passed down through the generations. He thought about it for a moment, sitting in his old house, gathering dust, the keys silenced, the music lost to them. It hurt him to think about it, so he tried not to.

He had tried to avoid this room as much as possible the first time he spotted the instrument. But it almost called to him, beckoned him to sit and play. He wondered how it would feel to sit on the piano bench without his mother by his side. Would it hurt him? Would he physically feel her loss with each note he played? He didn't think he was strong enough to find out, which is what had kept him away until now. Edward turned to see Esme waiting patiently by the door.

"Is it yours?" he asked, watching Esme who was looking at him curiously.

"Yes, but I'm afraid it doesn't get the required attention. I played as a girl and when Carlisle found out he bought me this. I can tinker, but I'm not very good."

"Do you play?" Esme wondered. He had such a love of classical music. Maybe it had sparked from his love of the piano.

"No," Edward whispered. "Not anymore."

He looked longingly at the instrument, but let his fingers drift away from the keys.

"I was just looking," he said, meeting Esme at the door. "Alice has probably curled herself into a ball by now." Edward slipped passed her with a shy smile and Esme could sense there was something troubling him, but she could also tell that he wasn't ready to talk about it. Edward paused several feet away, waiting for her, and together they went back to the living room, both of them occupied with their silent thoughts.

As they walked into the room, coming up behind the couch, Esme placed her hand on Alice's shoulder. The girl had been so engaged in the movie that she hadn't heard them approach and ended up screaming and tossing the bowl of popcorn into the air.

Edward flicked on the light to see Alice, covered head to toe in popcorn.

"Oh, Alice, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," Esme said, biting her lip to keep from giggling.

Edward's smirk became wider by the second. Alice seemed to be in shock but when she met their eyes she was the first one to break the awkward silence with her uncontrollable laughter.

Together they picked up every last kernel and decided to ditch the movie and go for ice cream instead. Esme enjoyed the fact that she could take Alice and Edward for ice cream before dinner and still know that they would eat whatever she made that night. She didn't have to worry about spoiling their dinner.

Esme thought about it and came to the conclusion that she definitely wouldn't be able to do that with a toddler or a new born. In fact, she wouldn't be cooking for a new born for a very long time.

The thought made her feel sort of sad, especially seeing how happy Alice and Edward were as they sat in the ice cream parlor together enjoying their sundaes. As she pondered the idea of someday bringing a newborn into the house she thought about all the things she wouldn't be able to do with a baby. One day the child would be old enough, yes, but it would take months, years even.

She thought about how most people chose to adopt younger children, seeking to experience all the 'firsts' that you do with a baby. But what was wrong with adopting an older child? They still grew, and learned, and changed, and experienced 'firsts'. They still needed love. A baby would learn to love her as a parent because they would depend on her and Carlisle. If the child was young enough they wouldn't know any different between their birth parents and their adoptive parents. Esme would be a mother from the start.

But as she thought about it, she couldn't deny that there was something more special about earning the love and respect of an older child: a child who had be raised by the hands of another and learned to understand the world through their views. To have a child like that learn to depend on her and Carlisle would mean that they had truly been parents. Having Alice and Edward around had made Esme reconsider a lot of things that she once thought she wanted, and she couldn't help but think it was for the better. That thought brought a smile to her face and when Alice asked her why she was smiling, she simply replied, "Because I'm here with you two."

Alice nodded, satisfied with Esme's answer, and continued inhaling her ice cream until a brain freeze took over her forehead and caused her to groan. Edward rubbed her shoulder, particularly amused by the way her face was scrunched up, while Esme noted just how much Alice was like Carlisle. They both like their sweets to the point of inducing pain upon themselves. That thought made her smile even wider.

Carlisle had met Doctor Peters in his office. It was highly formal, compared to the lounge they usually occupied for their frequent discussions, but since they were discussing the children as patients they thought it was best to be behind a closed door.

"You know this is kind of a sticky situation, Carlisle. Technically you've been their doctor for months now, so sharing information with you should be of no concern. However, now that they will be living with you I felt that the confidentiality aspect had shifted. You're in more of a parental role now." Carlisle was slightly taken aback by that and Doctor Peters smiled encouragingly.

"I suppose it does seem that way," Carlisle agreed slowly. It was very strange to think about himself like that, but he had taken on all the kids to ensure their welfare. Isn't that what parents do? Take care of their kids. Make sure they are safe and secure: protected, healthy, happy. Isn't that what he and Esme were doing?

"It is in fact that way, Carlisle. So before we start, I thought you would like to know that I asked all of the kids if it was okay for me to share what they discussed in their sessions with you."

Carlisle nodded, feeling a bit nervous. Knowing whether or not the kids were comfortable with him hearing the things that were most difficult for them to talk about would affect a lot. It would tell him how much they already trusted him.

"I have to say, I was a little surprised, given what they have all been through but they have all agreed for whatever we talk about to be shared with you, so you already know Alice and Edward have made good progress, which is why they are currently at your home and not in the hospital.

"Jasper had problems working through why he survived when so many others didn't. Textbook survivor's guilt."

Carlisle had assumed this much, but it was nice to know his assumptions where accurate.

Doctor Peters continued. "I was worried at first but now his attitude has shifted. I don't want to sound like a love sick teenager but I think there may be something in his life he wants to live for, a certain young lady that has been mentioned quite often in session."

"You don't think he's a suicide risk," Carlisle clarified quickly. "Cases like Jasper's could develop in many directions. Either the person would learn to accept the fact that they survived and resolve to live their lives to the fullest, or else they would be consumed by their guilt, falling further and further into depression until death seemed like the only way out.

"No, no," Doctor Peters assured him. "I think Alice makes him very happy and she is helping him understand that he deserves to be here. But he will still require a lot of therapy."

Carlisle smiled with relief. "I can do that. I'll make sure he comes to see you every week, just like the rest of them will. What about the other two?"

"Emmett's anger is under control now, which was one of the biggest issues. Everything else was being sidelined while he dealt with his out of control emotions. Now that they are in check, he has started to open up about the things that were really bothering him. Truthfully I'm not worried about Emmett. He can leave anytime. Rosalie's the problem, I'm not sure she'll be ready to go any time soon" Dr. Peters said.

Carlisle went from pure elation, hearing that Emmett could be discharged, to feeling defeated.

"Can't you help me out here?" Carlisle begged his old friend, who gave him a sympathetic smile.

"She's really hurting Carlisle. I think it stems from years of physical and emotional abuse. She won't commit to any of that so I can't get her to talk about the crash. For her it means acknowledging that the people who tormented her are gone and as much as it relieves her, there is a small part of her that feels guilty that they are gone. It's easy to see that she hates herself for feeling that way. Why should she feel any love towards the people that hurt her?"

"Are these all things you have discussed with her-"

"No, they are inferences I've made from what we presume to know about her past. She chooses to communicate and offer very little in our sessions. She still won't make eye contact with me. She needs more time. A lot more time to come to terms with everything."

Carlisle pursed his lips I frustration. "I understand but I can't leave her here by herself…all the other kids are ready to move on and she has to stay here? She'll feel like we are abandoning her."

Doctor Peters seemed to contemplate Carlisle's worry.

"How about this, take Jasper and now Emmett home tomorrow as planned. Let me see how Rosalie's session goes today and I'll let you know tomorrow. Maybe there will be some progress made from last week. But if not, a few nights on her own won't kill her and then we'll talk about a discharge date okay," Doctor Peters offered.

Carlisle didn't particularly like the arrangement, but he agreed as their conversation became more informal, skipping from the latest football game score to the difficulty Doctor Peter's had booking vacation time.

Jasper left the hallway quickly, rushing away from where he had been strategically eavesdropping on Carlisle's conversation with Doctor Peters. It's not like Jasper had never done anything like that before, there were many times he found himself on the other side of locked doors, hearing conversations that were not meant for his ears, especially at the Military school, but this time he felt incredibly guilty considering Carlisle had already done so much for them.

Still, the look on Carlisle's face this afternoon, when he came to check up on them, was laced with worry and concern. Jasper had sensed all of the anxiety Carlisle was trying to hide. He wanted to know why Carlisle seemed so distant. Now he knew.

Jasper needed to talk to Rosalie and Emmett. He disappeared down the hall as swiftly as he had appeared, slipping through the door to their shared ward room and throwing back the curtain around Rosalie's bed. She was playing a tortuously dull game of cards with Emmett, the tiny deck of fifty two becoming more and more irritating, only reminding her of the eternal boredom that was impossible to escape within the white-washed walls of the hospital. With Edward and Alice now gone it was even harder to find things to keep themselves occupied.

"You have to change what you're saying in your therapy sessions," Jasper explained as Emmett jumped to his feet. He had read the urgency in Jasper's expression and immediately jumped into action, preparing to defend their little group, half expecting a horde of people to drag them away from each other.

When Jasper started making sense, having explained that he had so conveniently heard the discussion between the two doctors, Emmett sat down again and relaxed, before nodding thoughtfully.

"What if she just refuses medical care?" Emmett suggested. "They can't make her stay if she refuses treatment, right?"

"I think she's technically still a minor," Jasper said. "And even if she could get around that and get herself discharged they would never let her move into Doctor Cullen's. That was part of the deal, remember? Doctor Peter's has to sign off on all of us before we are moved into the foster system."

"You're right," Emmett said.

Jasper shrugged, looking at Rosalie. "You have to lie to them. Change what you're telling the therapist."

"I don't say much of anything to him," Rosalie muttered.

"That's the problem. They don't think you're healed enough, or whatever they say, to leave the hospital. You'll be the only one here if you don't start talking."

"But what do I say?" she whispered, unsure of how to begin putting her feelings in perspective.

"Look, Rosalie, I can't pretend to understand what it is they are concerned about with you. That's your business. All I know is that if you can't face whatever it is yet, if you're not ready, then you have to make something up. Carlisle's tried making a case for you. He said he'll bring you to therapy daily, but Doctor Peters won't budge."

Emmett nodded. "Jasper's right. I'm not saying I'm a doctor or that I know anything about how to heal emotional problems and junk but I know the best thing for you, and for all of us, is to stay together. You have to say some crap that will get him to sign off on your case. Just make him believe that you're giving all his loony talk some real thought."

"Is that what you do?" Rosalie asked. She looked beaten, as if what they were asking her to do was physically weary.

Emmett smirked, squeezing her hand in his. "Sometimes. Other times the things he says actually make some sense. Once I stopped trying to flip tables over in a rage, things became easier," he admitted and Jasper chuckled lightly.

"It isn't that bad," Jasper agreed. "The hardest part is reliving the crash."

"I don't think I can do that," Rosalie whispered.

"You can, Rosalie. Please. You have to. Just give him some generic details—it was dark, you were confused, people were screaming. He won't push you. Just say something, anything, okay. I know you can do it."

Rosalie nodded.

"That's my girl," Emmett said, pulling her into a one-armed hug. Jasper left then to pack his few belongings and after a moment so did Emmett, knowing they were leaving the following day, which left Rosalie to fabricate a story that would get her released from the stupid hospital.


	19. Chapter 19

Sundays were usually quiet, relaxing days in the Cullen house, but Esme sensed that was about to change. For one thing, this was the Sunday that more of the kids were supposed to come home, which now included Emmett. She had been so excited when Carlisle called to tell her, that she had tackled him as soon as he walked in the door Saturday evening, kissing him into oblivion.

For a few precious moments they were caught up in pure elation. Esme felt kind of bad thinking about it now as she scooted out of bed, careful not to disturb Carlisle. She was hoping to get a shower in before breakfast. Normally she didn't have to worry about where and how she kissed her husband, so she and Carlisle had spent the entirety of last night apologizing relentlessly to Alice, who had walked into the hall from the kitchen, with a drink in either hand for her and Edward, completely unaware of what was about to happen.

The hall had been dark, because Esme hadn't bothered with the light switch, the only light spilling in from the kitchen. Alice was oblivious to the fact that Esme and Carlisle were caught up in a heated embrace in the hall. They were also unaware of Alice's presence since she was as quiet as a mouse. Carlisle backed Esme against the wall, knocking over the pictures and basket of car keys that rested on the table by the front door.

Alice screamed, spinning in the darkness, and dropped the drinks. Glass exploded around her, skittering along the hardwood floor like tiny race cars. The hall light snapped on. Edward appeared at the bottom of the stairs, hand gripping the light switch, brows furrowed in worry.

By now Esme and Carlisle had broken apart. Confused. Concerned. Esme gasped as she saw Alice surrounded by shards of glittery glass. She immediately moved to start cleaning so Alice wouldn't hurt herself but Carlisle caught her shoulder. When she looked at Carlisle he was concerned, but for an entirely different reason.

Esme followed his eyes, this time really focusing on Alice. Her hands were frozen in midair. She was rigid, motionless like a statue. Her face was focused on the floor. Esme had watched as giant tears dropped off the end of her chin. She heard the tiny plop as they hit the floor.

"Alice," Carlisle said slowly, stepping forward. He still had his work shoes on so the glass crunched under his feet as he approached her. That's what made her head snap up, the sound of the glass splitting into smaller pieces.

Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated to pinpoints. Her bottom lip trembled. Esme wanted to rush into the mess and hug her, but the fact that she was barefoot stopped her.

"Alice, what is it?" Carlisle whispered. "What do you feel?"

Alice clutched her chest. "Heavy," she said, looking around. "The seats, they're crushing us."

Carlisle nodded. "What else," he prompted. He needed Alice to admit to what she was feeling and then to accept that it wasn't real. She was safe.

Alice gasped. "My leg." She immediately started to favour the leg that had been injured in the crash, as if she could feel that pain of the initial injury. "The glass," she mumbled. "There's so much blood."

Alice was crying again. Esme felt her heart shatter into more pieces than what was on the floor.

Carlisle took another step forward, until he was standing directly in front of her. "Alice do you know where you are?" he asked her.

Her eyes glistened. She shook her head.

"Yes you do," he assured her. "You're with me, Carlisle, and my wife Esme. You and Edward are staying with us. You were in a plane crash a couple months ago. I was your doctor. You hurt your leg, but the surgery was successful. It's all healed now."

Carlisle gently took Alice's hand and tugged it down to the spot on her calf where she had been injured. Alice felt her leg and then locked eyes with Carlisle. The tears got worse before they got better. She flung her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

Carlisle hugged Alice and let her cry. He lifted her slight frame out of the glass maze so she wouldn't cut herself and Esme took her upstairs until she was calm again.

Last night had been hard on them all. Edward was especially quiet. Alice seemed to rebound, assuring them she was okay, but Esme couldn't help herself from flitting in and out of Alice's room for the rest of the night. The amazing man Carlisle was, he cleaned up the mess. Esme was shaken, arms pulled across her chest as she stared blankly out the window, hands gripping her elbows when Carlisle finally came to bed.

"PTSD," he whispered in her ear. He wanted to help Esme understand so she would know how to deal with it if any of the kids ever needed her like that. "Doctor Peters said they would all have mild forms of it for a while. They'll have triggers, things that set them off. The glass breaking was enough to set Alice off."

"Oh, Carlisle," Esme sobbed. "I don't want to do anything that sets back their recovery."

"Shh, Esme, it's fine, she's fine. There are going to be accidents and things that make them relapse into memories of the crash. We can't prevent it, but we can help them learn to work through it. It actually doesn't surprise me that Alice had an episode. She's been so positive through everything. I think it's how she copes. She corks up all the bad emotions, focusing on the good, but eventually she'll have to deal with the bad."

Esme nodded into his chest. "You're sure she's alright?"

Carlisle chuckled. "I promise. I just checked on her. She's asleep, Edward's reading. They're both fine."

Esme had gone to bed, still feeling terrible, but the fact that Carlisle promised to take Alice to talk to Doctor Peters on Monday made her feel marginally better.

After a shower, Esme pulled on some sweats and left her hair down to let it dry. She jumped on the bed and snuggled her face against Carlisle's chest. He was snoring lightly so she pinched his nose and that seemed to startle him awake.

She kissed him swiftly. He tried to capture her lips for a longer kiss but she pushed him away, rolling him to the edge of the bed with her feet. He needed to get up and shower.

"We have church in two hours," she reminded him. "Any preferences for breakfast?"

Carlisle shrugged, pulling off his shirt as he walked to the bathroom. "Keep it easy—eggs and toast," he suggested.

"Sounds good," she said.

"Hey," he called after turning the water on. "Do you think the kids will want to come?"

"I don't know," Esme mused. "I don't know if they're even religious."

"Edward is," Carlisle said, "but I don't know if he practices."

"Guess we'll have to ask them."

Esme jogged down the stairs. She raced to Alice's door first finding her bed empty, so she doubled back to Edward's room. Carlisle said Alice would frequently end up in someone else's bed at the hospital if she had a bad night. Esme knew Alice had one of her nightmares because she had ended up in Edward's room, her head at the foot of his bed again. Edward didn't seem to mind, he was still passed out cold. Alice was starting to stir though.

Esme felt a tinge of guilt, wondering if it had been sparked by the events of last night. She hoped Alice would be okay today. She heard the water shut off upstairs and raced down the second set of stairs and into the kitchen to start the coffee.

She sat with the morning paper, making her best attempt at the crossword—Carlisle would finish it—while waiting for him and the kids. Eggs would only take a few minutes so she didn't want breakfast to be cold before they came down stairs.

Carlisle came up behind her, kissing the top of her head. She reached up to touch his face. He hadn't shaved today. Her hand found the back of his head. His hair was still damp.

"Twenty-five across, five letters, bone connecting hip to knee: femur."

"Thank you, Doctor Cullen. I was stumped," Esme said, filling in the letters and turning up her face so he could kiss her cheek. "Are you ready to eat?"

"Mmmhmm," Carlisle murmured against her neck. "The kids should be down momentarily. Alice was coaxing Edward out of bed when I passed his room."

"That's good. He won't need an alarm clock for school if he has an Alice."

Carlisle chuckled. Esme stood from the bar stool and made her way to the fridge to retrieve the eggs and pop a few slices of toast down. Soon the sound of cold eggs sizzling against a hot frying pan filled the room.

"Scrambled or fried?" Esme asked.

"Scrambled."

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Sixteen down, eleven letters, technique for adding shadow to a sculpture using minimal paint."

"Dry brushing."

Carlisle nodded. "Thanks, my love."

"Do you want to butter the toast for me?" Esme asked.

Carlisle worked alongside his wife in silence for a moment before asking, "Was she sleeping in Edward's bed this morning?"

"How did you know?"

"Her comforter and pillow were on the floor in his room."

"Is that because of last night?"

"It could be," Carlisle admitted. "Or she might have had one of her dreams."

"Does she get those often?"

"I don't think so. But she won't discuss those with anyone except Edward right now. Even Doctor Peters draws a blank from her when he mentions them."

"It must be terrifying, taking pages right out of the future," Esme murmured.

Carlisle nodded. "I thought occasional déjà vu was bad. I can't imagine seeing things before they happen."

"What's happening?" Alice asked, dragging Edward into the kitchen.

Esme bit her lip but Carlisle turned around and smiled at the kids. "Church," he said. Esme sighed in relief.

Alice jumped into her seat as Esme mumbled good morning and pushed a plate with eggs and toast in front of her. Alice pouted, confused.

Edward sauntered slowly to his seat. Esme ruffled his hair, adding to the bed-head look and handed him his plate.

"How did you sleep?" Carlisle asked them.

Alice murmured something about "fine" and Edward glowered at Carlisle. Esme didn't miss the look.

"Hey Carlisle, can you do me a favour and run out to the garage. There are a couple of cases of water in my trunk. I want to fill the fridge for tonight. Maybe you should bring the pop in too."

"Sure, love. Edward, do mind giving me a hand?" The sleepy teen followed Carlisle in his white t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms, out to the garage.

Carlisle popped Esme's trunk and lifted out the cases of water. He tipped one into Edward's waiting hands. Carlisle leaned against the bumper. "Alright, what is it. I didn't miss that look you gave me."

Edward cleared his throat but looked away, suddenly very preoccupied by the collection of cars Carlisle had in his garage.

"You know, Edward, I can't help unless you talk to me. I know it's hard for you right now, but Esme and I are here for whatever you need."

Edward nodded and shifted the case of water under his arm before looking at Carlisle. "It's not me," he began. "It's Alice."

"Is this about her ending up in your room? I'm really sorry Edward. I think she just feels more comfortable around you right now and automatically finds her way there. Esme and I will work with her and-"

Edward shook his head. "Alice didn't come in last night. I went and got her. She was dreaming, it sounded like a nightmare. She was murmuring and her face was hot. I shook her awake and when she sat up she looked at me, but her eyes were glazed and she just stared right through me. It's like I wasn't even there. She was terrified. I know she saw something, but when I asked her about it this morning she said she couldn't remember. I couldn't just leave her like that." Edward paused his rambling to gage Carlisle's reaction. "You believe her, don't you? That she dreams about things that happen?" Edward held his breath.

"I do," Carlisle assured him and Edward gave him a small grin. "Do you think she saw something that she doesn't want to talk about?"

"We all see things that we'd prefer not to talk about, but Alice sees real things. I'm afraid that if she holds it all in, keeping the bad things to herself, she's going to change."

Carlisle nodded, encouraging Edward to continue. It was good for him to get his feelings out.

"Alice is a good friend. The best I've ever had. She makes me happy. It's like her gift. She's s little positive bubble of light and I'm worried about what will happen if she stops being so…"

"Alice?" Carlisle offered. There was really no way to explain what exactly Alice was.

"Yeah," Edward sighed. "Yesterday, when she dropped the glasses I could see it in her eyes, the terror. She felt the crash all over again, all the pain, she heard all the screaming, felt the fire, smelled the smoke. If Alice can't keep the memories from coming back then none of us can."

"Is that what you're more afraid of, Edward? That you'll remember things you don't want to?" Carlisle asked.

"Who would want to remember that?" Edward countered.

"I know it hurts, but the things you saw and the things you want to forget are memories that will be with you forever Edward. The important thing is learning to cope with the feelings when they arise, and they will," Carlisle said gently. He patted Edward's shoulder.

"I don't want to hurt anymore, Carlisle. I just think the ache is gone and then something tears it open again—a sound, a voice, a picture, anything, everything.

"I know it's hard, but in time you'll be able to find things that help the ache go away. You'll never forget you have it, but you'll be able to bare its weight."

"I hope so," Edward said.

"I know so," Carlisle spoke softly. "I promise, Edward, I won't let any of you suffer through this alone. Alice will be alright. I won't let her light go out, if that's what you're worried about. And I won't let the memories haunt you."

"Thanks, Carlisle. I don't know where I would have ended up without you and Esme. I just wanted you to know that I do appreciate this, you letting us live here."

"I'm happy you're here and so is Esme. We want to be a part of your lives, we want to help you. You just have to let us in once in a while."

Edward nodded and sniffed. He managed a weak smile and Carlisle sat with him for a few minutes until his eyes had dried enough to return inside.

"Where the heck did you guys go? Alaska?" Alice gaffed.

"Almost," Edward laughed. Esme smiled at his lighter tone and Carlisle winked at her before setting the water down on the counter. Esme squeezed his hand below the counter and he squeezed back.

"So anyway, like I was saying before, Esme and I go to mass on Sunday's. You two are welcome to come, if you want, or you can stay here and lounge around for the morning, enjoy the house well it's quite since Jasper and Emmett will be home later this afternoon."

Alice squealed, drumming her legs against the counter and Edward laughed. They were both really excited to see their friends again. It hadn't even been a full week but they were ready to be reunited.

"What about Rosalie?" Edward began.

Carlisle sipped his coffee. "Still working on that," he said.

"She'll be here soon enough," Esme said, sitting down with her own plate of breakfast. "So, what do you guys think about church? Was that ever something you did? Sorry, Carlisle and I don't even know if you're religious."

"I used to go with my parents," Edward said. He blinked a few times. "We always went to Saturday night mass. I wasn't a morning person so Sunday's definitely would not have worked."

"I see that hasn't changed much," Esme said. Edward smirked.

"I guess I was born something," Alice said. "My granny always prayed the rosary when I was around so she must have gone to church of some kind. I think she was trying to exercise demons from me or something," Alice mused, wandering off into her own world. "She would always flick water at me, claiming the priest blessed it. I don't think you can really make water holy but Gran thought it worked. She said she would save me one way or another."

Esme ran her hand over her face, looking appalled, and Carlisle choked on his eggs. Edward clapped him on the back if only to hide the disgusted look on his own face.

"Thanks," Carlisle murmured, wiping his face with a napkin. He and Esme locked eyes and for a moment they were frozen. The silence seemed to stretch. Alice didn't notice it or didn't care.

"I never really did family things and church seems like a family thing, so no, I never went to church."

"Well, you're welcome to come with us, Alice," Esme said.

Alice shook her head. "It all seems a little creepy, with my Granny and all. I don't think I'm ready for that."

"Okay," Carlisle said, trying to be supportive. "We go every Sunday, so if you ever change your mind."

Alice shrugged awkwardly. "I doubt it, but thanks."

"Edward?" Esme asked.

Edward poked his eggs with his fork. He met Esme's eyes for a brief second before glancing at Alice. Esme smiled and nodded, understanding.

"Maybe next week?" Edward asked. He did want to go, but he didn't want Alice to stay by herself. Next week Emmett and Jasper would be around and he assumed one of them could keep her company.

"Sure thing," Carlisle said, dropping his plate in the sink. "You guys have free reign of the house. Just please, no prank calling the hospital." Edward and Alice snickered. For the past two days Carlisle had been getting strange phone calls from the hospital. They finally figured out that it was Emmett. Apparently boredom and teenagers did not mix well. "And no joy rides in the cars. That's all I ask."

"Done and done," Edward said. He looked over at Alice. "He does have some pretty sweet rides though."

Alice shrugged. "As long as it's fast it could be a box on wheels and I wouldn't care."

Carlisle laughed. "A girl after my own heart. You should try and convince Esme of that."

Esme shook her head, chewing her eggs. Her fork did the talking for a moment and they got the just of it. "Carlisle Cullen, do not be influencing impressionable young teenagers by telling them that speeding is okay no matter what kind of car you're driving."

Alice bit her lip to hide the smile and Edward lowered his head.

"I was just saying, sometimes it's nice to get out on the road and just go."

"And sometimes it's nice to enjoy a ride on the highway without feeling nauseous."

"I'm not that bad, love."

Esme raised her eyebrows. "You, my darling husband, are the definition of an erratic driver."

"So I take it you'll be driving to mass then?" Carlisle teased.

Esme dropped her plate in the sink as well and walked to the hall. Before she left she turned and said, "As a matter of fact, I will."

Alice watched her disappear before turning back to Carlisle and Edward. "Seriously, if you want to see a sweet ride, check out the latest Porsche's from Italy. Canary yellow." Alice brought up an image on her phone and Carlisle whistled. "Let's talk about need for speed," Alice said.

"Carlisle, they can't even drive yet, stop encouraging them," Esme yelled down the stairs. "Now, hurry up, were going to be late."

Once they were both dressed and after Carlisle wrestled Esme to the bed for the keys to the Mercedes (he wanted to drive), which was surprisingly easy and only took him offering her his eternal servitude, they met the kids in the living room. Of course they had straightened themselves up first, with Carlisle brushing back Esme's curls and Esme straightening his tie so they didn't look like they just had a tussle on the bed.

"Okay, you guys have our numbers. Call if you need anything, okay?" Carlisle said.

"We'll be back in a couple hours," Esme promised on their way out the door.

Carlisle gloated about getting to drive as he opened the passenger door of the Mercedes for Esme. "Hey, you promised me eternal servitude, now behave or else," she reminded him.

"Or else what, Mrs. Cullen?"

"I haven't decided yet, but I'm sure I can come up with something."

Carlisle walked around his side of the car, tossing the keys in his hand. He whistled an unfamiliar tune.

"Please just go easy on the pedal," Esme asked.

"Of course, love. Your wish is my command." He leaned towards her so his lips tickled her ear. "But just so you know, if your stomach gets upset, I have a cure that doesn't involve medicine but it might require getting in the back seat."

"Honestly Carlisle, behave."

Esme shivered and gripped her seat as his lips trailed down her neck before pulling away. This is why Carlisle loved driving, so he could watch Esme's reactions to his teasing words. He would never be able to do that if she was driving. She wouldn't be able to keep her focus and would surely drive the Mercedes into a ditch. It wasn't her fault though. Carlisle knew each and every way to capture her attention.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Carlisle took her hand. "You okay?" he asked.

She nodded.

"You're quiet," he pressed. "Is my driving not under control?"

Esme smirked at him and he took the opportunity presented to him by the red light to kiss her. She moaned and he deepened the kiss. Apparently it was too deep because the car behind them honked obnoxiously when Carlisle failed to notice the light change.

He waved off the driver as he accelerated. People in LA were always in a rush. Sometimes he wished for the quiet familiarity of a small town, one where he could park at a stop light all day because no one would come down that road for hours.

"You're still quiet," Carlisle grimaced. "I thought that would perk you up."

"I'm just thinking," Esme sighed.

"About what, love?"

"I don't think Alice will be coming to church anytime soon."

"Well, it's a personal choice," Carlisle said. "But I think you're right."

Esme frowned. "What kind of sick, twisted family did Alice have? Who does things like that to their granddaughter? Rosary exorcisms and holy water?"

"Remember, this is the same family that disowned her after she was involved in a plane crash. It really doesn't surprise me."

Esme nodded. "What was up with Edward at breakfast?"

"He was worried about Alice. He thinks she's seen something again but she's not telling anyone."

"Is that why he glared at you?" Esme asked.

"He's scared. I think he just wanted some reassurance that we were going to help them through these things, the PTSD triggers and stuff. He doesn't want Alice to relapse into a comatose, unresponsive, depressed version of herself."

"Can that happen?" Esme gasped.

"Technically, yes, which is why they have to continue with the therapy. It's important they talk about their feelings. Bottling them up will only make it worse."

"We'll do whatever it takes," Esme said. "I'm glad they're here with us."

"Me too," Carlisle said, finding a parking spot outside the church.

Carlisle felt his phone buzz twice. He didn't like checking it during mass, but with half the kids still in the hospital and Edward and Alice at home he wanted to be sure it wasn't an emergency. He checked the screen and opened the message icon. Sure enough it was from Doctor Peters.

_Hey Carlisle. Call me when you're done at church. It's important but not urgent. It can wait till mass is over._

Esme peered over his shoulder. He tipped the phone so she could see it. He shrugged his shoulder as the closing hymn began.

As mass filed out, Carlisle threaded his fingers through Esme's hand, walking towards the car. With his other hand he hit the speed dial.

"Carlisle, I'm glad you called."

"Well, you said it was important."

"It is. I wanted to talk to you about Rosalie."

"This doesn't sound good." Esme's grip on his hand tightened.

Doctor Peters sighed. "I guess it depends how you look at it."

"What exactly am I looking at?"

"I've run into a bit of a problem."

"I'm listening."

"Well you know she had her session late yesterday afternoon."

"Yes. Things didn't go well then?" Carlisle asked.

"Honestly Carlisle, I expected her to come in, clam up and leave, just like every other time."

"And?"

"She did the exact opposite."

"Well isn't that a good thing?"

"Not in this case. She answered all my questions. She was almost too eager to answer them. All her answers were rehearsed."

"How do you know that?"

"I asked her to tell me about the crash, how she felt, what she remembered. She talked about her parents. She acted so concerned for them. She said she was crying because she thought they were dead. When the rescue crews showed up and pulled them onto the stretchers and her dads eyes fluttered she said she thought he would be okay and that she was relieved. But you know yourself that isn't true. Carlisle, you saw her in the room after they died. She was crying after the crash because she thought she was finally rid of them. You and I both know she was relieved that they were dead. She didn't identify any of those emotions for me."

"She made it up?" Carlisle exhaled. "How do we proceed from here?"

"She's a smart kid. I'll give her that. She knew exactly what to say to me. Normally I would call this major progress but because of her delicate situation this only serves to put off the inevitable. She's building up even thicker walls. She's not just clamming up but fabricating an alternate story so she doesn't have to face what really happened."

"So what are you saying? She's not ready to leave yet?" Carlisle sounded defeated.

"Part of me is saying she should stay in the hospital, but the other part of me thinks we should let her go."

"You do?"

"I think it would do her more harm at this point to call her out. If I tell her I know she lied to me she may only get worse. I think it would set her back even further in her recovery. Letting her leave today with the others is the only thing I can think to do that won't impact the progress she's already made."

"Is that your professional opinion?"

"Yes it is, but you'll have to continue to bring her in for sessions, maybe even a couple times a week."

"Done," Carlisle said eagerly.

"And you and Esme will have to be prepared. She hasn't had a major breakthrough yet or a major breakdown, you'll have to be expecting both, okay?"

"We can do that. Alice had a little hiccup of her own last night that I'm sure she'll discuss with you tomorrow."

"I figured they would have some issues. What was it that triggered her?"

"Some glasses shattering."

"Ah, I wonder if it was the noise or if it was the visual stimulus."

"I think probably auditory. The room was dark when she entered. She was startled and that's when she dropped the glasses. She never would have seen them hit the ground."

"How did it go?"

"As well as could be expected. I didn't have a great deal of trouble calming her down."

"Good, that's good. I'll make sure to discuss it with her tomorrow then. I'm signing discharge papers as we speak."

"So the kids are good to go anytime?"

"Yep, they're all yours. I already talked to Rosalie, so she knows she's leaving."

"What did she say?" Carlisle asked.

"Nothing really, but her stuff was already packed. Jasper was the one grinning smugly." Doctor Peters was trying to hide the amusement in his voice. "I think we had an audience yesterday during our meeting."

Carlisle sighed. "He's just trying to protect the group."

"No man gets left behind," Doctor Peters agreed. "Even if that hadn't been drilled into his head at the military school I think Jasper would still be protective."

"Me too, so we can't chastise him for that."

"I wasn't suggesting we should. Let's just go with the flow right now. The kids are making their own decisions. Let's see where it takes them, okay?" Doctor Peters offered. "I'll be around until late afternoon, so I'll probably see you when you get here to pick them up."

"Alright, I'll see you then." Carlisle hung up the phone and slipped it back in his pocket, turning to face a worried Esme.

"Maybe we should order in tonight. There will be a few extra people for dinner," Carlisle told Esme, who was now all but jumping with anticipation. "He's letting Rosalie leave today, too."

"Oh, Carlisle they're all being discharged?" Esme gasped. "This is wonderful."

And despite the fact that Carlisle was sure there would be some adjustment issues, he was glad that they were all finally getting out of the hospital. They had been cooped up there long enough. "Yes it is."

Carlisle knew the kids would be eager to get out of the hospital. What he didn't expect was to find them sitting on the curb at the front entrance with their belongings. Doctor Peters stood by them, arms crossed, looking amused.

Carlisle pulled the car over beside them, getting out to stand with Doctor Peters.

"They refused to spend another second inside the hospital. You should have seen the nurses trying to restrain Emmett. He had three of them hanging off him at one point," Doctor Peters muttered.

"That's a little embarrassing," Carlisle said. "Though, I'm not surprised." He smirked as Emmett and Jasper started arguing over who was riding shotgun.

Carlisle tossed them the keys so they could put their bags in the trunk. He chuckled when Rosalie used the distraction to settle herself in the passenger's seat.

"I think we were just blindsided," Jasper said, sounding very southern.

"You win this one, Rosie," Emmett laughed, following Jasper into the back seat.

Rosalie shrugged. "Ladies first."

"Yah, Southern boy, you should have remembered that," Emmett said, jokingly nudging Jasper's shoulder.

"I've been locked in the hospital so long I've forgotten my manners," Jasper mused.

"They're really excited Carlisle," Doctor Peters told him. "You're doing a wonderful thing."

"They're wonderful kids. This is the least they deserve after all they've been through."

Emmett leaned forward, between the seats. Rosalie shook her head and rolled her eyes, biting her lips to hide the smile as Emmett laid on the horn.

"Yo, Carlisle, let's get this show on the road!" he yelled through the window.

Carlisle smirked, thanking Doctor Peters.

"You know I'm here for whatever they need. Call me if you have problems."

They shook hands and parted ways for the day as Emmett started telling dirty jokes to people walking by the car.

Carlisle apologized profusely to an old woman who threatened to wash Emmett's mouth out with soap.

Jasper and Rosalie giggled profusely and even Carlisle couldn't keep a straight face as he attempted to warn Emmett about telling sex jokes to the older population. Nothing could break his spirits right now. They drove home with the windows down and the music blaring. Thankfully all the kids agreed on the same station.

"Hey Eddie boy, miss me?" Emmett's voice boomed through the entire house as the front door burst open. Edward groaned but couldn't keep the smile off his face as Alice dragged him down the stairs at a run.

Alice squealed, grabbing Rosalie and pulling her into a tight hug. Then she wrapped her arms around Jasper's waist.

"Missed you," she said, smiling into his chest.

"And I missed you, little lady." Jasper's accent was incredibly endearing and Alice sighed happily.

Finally after teasing Edward and saying hello to Esme by crushing her in a bear hug, Emmett threw Alice over his shoulder and his duffle bag over the other. "Come on tiny, show me where I put my stuff."

Alice cheered and pointed to the stairs. Jasper followed with Edward. Rosalie paused, still looking around the house tentatively.

"You coming Rosie?" Emmett asked, turning on the stairs. Alice squeaked something that sounded like "Don't drop me."

Emmett smiled at Rosalie encouragingly. She nodded and followed them up the stairs.

"He seems very comfortable," Esme grinned, watching Emmett lead the rest of the teenagers to the second floor.

Carlisle nodded. "That's Emmett for you. He and Jasper unhooked the flat screen from the waiting room one night and put it in their room beside the TV that was already in there just so they wouldn't have to play split screen mode for their Call of Duty marathon."

Esme laughed loudly. "You didn't tell me that."

"They managed to do that all while Emmett still had his broken leg. He stood on the wheelchair, balancing on one leg while Jasper passed him tools that he swiped from the janitor's cart." Carlisle shook his head at the memory. "I didn't want to scare you. Trust me; those two will have no trouble making themselves at home." Carlisle glanced at the stairs, while Esme chuckled under her breath.

"Now we really have our hands full, don't we?"

"Yes we do," he said. "And I couldn't be happier." He leaned over, hands resting on her waist, pulling her closer. Their lips touched chastely at first before Carlisle deepened the kiss by running his tongue along her lower lip, begging for entry.

Emmett whistled from the top of the stairs. There was a goofy smile on his face as Carlisle and Esme broke away. Carlisle smirked but Esme buried her head in his chest, embarrassed. "Carlisle, did you hear the one about-" The rest of the joke was muffled.

Alice had jumped on Emmett's back and silenced him by clasping her hands over his mouth.

"Not appropriate," she mouthed, urging him back down the hall.

Carlisle laughed. "Did I forget to mention that Emmett likes to tell dirty jokes?"

Esme snorted. "Somehow it doesn't surprise me at all."

The doorbell rang and Carlisle reached into his pocket for a few twenties.

"Pizza's here," Carlisle shouted. It sounded like a herd of elephants coming down the stairs.

Emmett's face lit up like a kid at Christmas as the kids and Esme moved around the dining room table. Carlisle took his seldom used seat at the head the long oak table. It was weird using this room for anything other than a holiday celebration when they had guests, but the warm bubbling feeling in the pit of his stomach told Carlisle that it was a welcomed change.

"I already thanked the Doc for getting me out of that hell hole of a hospital but this is ridiculously amazing. I didn't think the day could get any better," Emmett grinned, eyeing the supreme pizza. He turned around and picked Esme up, crushing her in a hug that knocked the wind from her lungs. Esme was small compared to Emmett and he easily lifted her at least a foot off the floor.

They all sat down. "Five dollars says I eat more than Jasper," Emmett gloated.

Jasper took the bet, but raised it to ten, claiming he was hungry and could easily out eat Emmett.

"Ten dollars on Alice," Edward said. He had seen her pack away stacks of pancakes like they were nothing.

Esme agreed to keep track as long as no one ate to the point of puking. Emmett claimed nothing could stand in the way of victory and that throwing up was just one of those things you had to be willing to deal with.

Jasper said if Emmett barfed than he was eliminated because technically the food was no longer in his stomach. With that hurdle settled, they resolved to amend the bet to whoever could eat the most without puking.

Edward still had his money on Alice. Rosalie refused to choose sides claiming that eating that much would result in nothing good. She picked at her pizza, pulling the pepperoni off and giving it to Emmett. She was secretly trying to help Alice win by slowing Emmett down. She thought it would be funny to see both boys lose to tiny Alice. Since Alice was a much slower eater—Emmett could devour a slice in as little as four bites—she had to help her out.

"Are you not a pizza lover?" Esme asked Rosalie.

Rosalie shrugged. "I don't eat meat. I'm vegan, but my diet got a little screwed up being at the hospital. It was hard to avoid all animal products and the nurses kept threatening to hook me up to more IV's so I dealt with cheese and eggs. But I managed to stay away from meat, so I didn't totally ruin everything," she muttered.

"Oh, Rosalie, sorry I didn't even think," Esme said.

Rosalie gave her a small smile. "Don't worry about it. Pepperoni and cheese is the universal pizza combination. How were you supposed to know?"

"You know, I have salad in the fridge if you would prefer that," Esme offered.

"Please," Rosalie said, putting her pizza on Emmett's plate. He thanked her with a full mouth so it sounded more like "Fank Ewe".

Esme nodded, wiping her hands on a napkin before standing. "Maybe I should put it out anyway and encourage you guys to eat your vegetables like a good hostess."

"No thanks," Emmett mumbled. "Green stuff's for rabbits."

"Isn't that Carlisle's job?" Alice asked. "Promoting the veggies."

Esme chuckled. "The last time I got Carlisle to eat a salad was before we were married."

"That was only because I was trying to be polite. I didn't want you to think I was picky. Now that were married you have to deal with all my annoying habits."

Esme smirked at him.

"But aren't you supposed to encourage people to be healthy," Alice wondered. "You are a doctor."

"I try to leave the health talk at the hospital for the most part," Carlisle said. "Plus I really hate green vegetables, lettuce in particular. Esme can be the veggie police."

Emmett nodded about the hating green vegetables thing and Esme sighed happily, her smile growing at the easy conversation.

So it was a table divided. Rosalie, Esme, and Edward braved the salad. Jasper wasn't opposed but said salad didn't go with pizza, and Carlisle, Emmett, and Alice just flat out refused to eat it. In the end Jasper gave up in his quest to be the ultimate pizza eating champion, leaving only Alice and Emmett. By the time the boxes were empty the two of them were neck in neck, having consumed the same number of slices.

The deciding factor came down to a vote since Emmett called Alice out for not eating her crust. Alice said it was a crust optional challenge but Emmett said that was cheating. After much deliberation and an official set of pizza eating challenge rules being written out, the table voted and Carlisle declared Alice the winner. It was decided since she was smaller, compared to her body weight and size, she had actually out eaten Emmett.

Of course a rematch was scheduled in exactly one week, giving Emmett a chance to redeem himself.

* * *

**So, readers who have stuck with me so far...thanks a bunch and if you haven't noticed I think this story will end up being pretty long...just an errant thought of mine. So it would be exceptionally awesome if you would review. And it would make me type the next chapter faster, no pressure, just saying :P**


	20. Chapter 20

It was amazing how the last two weeks had flown by. Halloween was just around the corner, with orange pumpkins springing up on every front porch in their neighbourhood and plastic tombstones covered in fake spider webbing covering every lawn. With the help of five teenagers and Alice's eye for decorating the house exterior was officially declared spooky enough for trick-or-treaters.

Esme was pleased at how easily the kids adjusted to being in the house with her and Carlisle. Alice and Edward were already comfortable, but they seemed to settle in better once reunited with the rest of the group. Emmett already moved around like he owned the joint and Jasper seemed particularly relaxed, especially when Alice was near.

Rosalie was still tentative and stuck close to Alice or Emmett. She made a point of never being alone in a room with either Esme or Carlisle, which Carlisle said was to be expected. The only two constant adults in her life had spent a life time abusing her, so it was hard for her to feel safe on her own. For Rosalie, there was power and safety in numbers. She didn't, however, cower away from Carlisle like she still did with most men, so she was making major progress there. She also responded when they asked her questions and joined the conversation freely as long as the others were around, so Esme wasn't that concerned. Rosalie needed more time to open up. They had the time to give her.

The easy conversation that had engrossed the group their first night in the house had continued for the following two weeks, allowing all the mundane but imperative activities that needed to be done to be accomplished with as little hassle as possible. Emmett and Rosalie needed to do their shopping so Carlisle had set them loose with Alice in the mall for several hours while he went to the hospital to tie up some loose ends.

Carlisle had decided to take an extended vacation in order to help Esme get the kids settled. He had the time built up at work and his colleagues understood since he had just opened his home to five teenagers.

There were also mountains of paperwork accumulating on the dining room table that needed to be filled out, which was quickly becoming a full time job of its own. Esme and Carlisle had to go about getting all the kids proper identification again, most of it being destroyed in the crash. Letters from lawyers kept arriving naming several of the kids in the last will and testimony of their deceased parents. There was a lot to deal with on that front and Carlisle knew it. There were legal issues, real estate and assets that needed to be addressed, trust funds that needed to be signed over, there was even the matter of the German Shepard named Max.

Emmett's neighbours had agreed to take care of his rather large and intimidating dog until other arrangements could be made. Having worked with Emmett's father as a drug identifying police dog, Emmett assured Carlisle that Max was harmless and was trained to only attack on command. Carlisle and Esme couldn't tell whether he was joking or not, but Esme said she always wanted a guard dog, so eventually Max would be coming to live with them.

Carlisle could tell the kids weren't quite ready to walk into the reality of their old lives so he kept putting the lawyers off and Esme stopped answering the phone after promising to call them when the kids were ready to deal with the last ties to their pasts. It wasn't like they were toddlers who couldn't make their own decisions. They were old enough to decide what was to be done with family homes and belongings, so Carlisle had to give them time to be ready. And it was still too soon.

In the meantime, Carlisle and Esme learned a lot about the kids. Surprisingly, they were all summer babies, except for Alice who was born in February, so birthdays had already come and gone. Esme was upset that some of them had celebrated, or not celebrated, their birthdays in the hospital. But with everything going on she was sure that becoming another year older was the last thing on their minds. In fact she was sure this would be one year that they wanted to forget entirely. Esme just hoped the next one would be better.

Emmett and Jasper were particularly impressed when Esme and Carlisle encouraged them to get their driver's licenses renewed. They were even more impressed when Carlisle offered to let them borrow one of his many vehicles. Their jaws almost dropped but Carlisle shrugged and mumbled something about them needing a ride to school eventually.

None of the kids seemed too eager about the word school, the only exception being Edward. Carlisle and Esme had talked, late into the night many times, about how to address school, eventually deciding to start enrolment for the second half of the year. The kids sighed but agreed.

There were many therapy sessions that had been scheduled with Doctor Peters who was pleased with the slow but steady progress: Rosalie was still difficult to address, but she was happier at least, especially towards the end of her hour-long sessions when she got to return to the house. Carlisle spent a good part of the week escorting one or many of the kids back and forth to the hospital, but he did it without complaint, always eager to see the small differences in their attitudes and actions. Each time they made a step in the right direction it was evident in the way they acted and behaved.

Esme smiled to herself, thinking about how far they had all come in such a short amount of time, while she made the _rounds_, as Carlisle liked to call it. She stopped briefly outside each bedroom, making sure everyone was okay, hearing the deep breathing, and in some cases snoring, of sleeping teenagers.

She stood in each doorway for a moment, admiring the changes that had been made to their home. It was interesting to see how each room slowly became a reflection of its occupant. Edward's iPod and a massive collection of CD's amassed on a shelf above his bed. He had a high-tech stereo plugged in beside his nightstand and various books, marked off halfway, littering the floor, waiting to be picked up and read again.

Between new wall length mirrors and the huge windows Alice's room appeared ten times bigger than it actually was. There were random outfits and dance gear laid out along the various pieces of furniture that had been ordered online. Alice also had a stereo, hers plugged into the wall where she had started practicing her ballet exercises.

Rosalie's room was simple: bed, dresser, desk. There wasn't much character there yet but Esme sensed that would change as she became more comfortable in the home. It was obvious that Rosalie was a girly-girl, so Esme assumed various shades of pink would soon make an appearance along her walls.

Jasper had surprised Esme the most. It was almost as if he realized he had social freedom, no long under some sort of military school restraint, to fill the space between his own four walls with the things that made him happy. There was an acoustic guitar set up in the corner. Jasper could play very well, though he didn't boast, and Edward seemed to appreciate his talent most of all. Edward was very interested in music as far as Esme could tell, and often sat with Jasper while he strummed out melodies that Alice would hum along to. Like Emmett, Jasper was athletic. He had a keen interest in self defense and also took an interest in martial arts, which is something Esme sensed had been established from attending the military prep school, just like his habit of being unbelievably organized and tidy: for Jasper everything had its place.

Emmett, on the other hand, had trouble keeping his things from spreading out the door of his room, almost like the swamp thing from those old horror flicks. Emmett was Esme's typical idea of a boy: sport and video game obsessed.

There was various game systems set up on a giant entertainment unit, the plastic cords crisscrossing in a maze along the floor. Emmett's pride and joy was the sixty inch TV that he and Jasper spent long hours occupying. There were several bean bag chairs set at the end of his bed and the rest of the floor was covered in sporting equipment: basketballs, footballs, baseball gloves. Emmett had also spread to the backyard when a basketball hoop and hockey net found their way out to the stone patio. Carlisle had recalled all the times makeshift hockey games erupted in the hospital with nothing more than bedpans and rolls of bandage. Esme was fine with it, as long as they tried not to break the windows or each other.

At one point, Emmett had tried teaching the others to play football. Jasper understood the basics—he was a natural—but Edward didn't like the idea of getting tackled, neither did Rosalie, and little Alice was just too eager for her own good to face off against brawny Emmett, so Carlisle thought it would be best if they simply threw the ball back and forth. Surprisingly, Alice had a good arm: Jasper pointed out that she would make an excellent pitcher so Emmett resolved to start a baseball team instead. That way there would be less tackling and Edward didn't have to get his 'knickers in a knot' as Emmett liked to say.

In an attempt to give the kids a space to hang out together, Carlisle, with Emmett and Jasper's help, had converted the basement family room into a gaming room. Pool went over well and Carlisle had finally had someone capable to play against. Esme herself wasn't very good, though Carlisle did enjoy getting to lean up behind her when he helped her line up a shot. Of course, that kind of pool game only happened when the kids were in bed.

Ping-pong and air hockey were the other favourites and no matter how competitive Emmett was, Edward seemed to be the reigning air hockey house champion. He was undefeated so far which drove Emmett to challenge Edward in just about everything else, including spitting contests, which Esme quickly put a stop to, and even who could brush their teeth the fastest.

Esme chuckled under her breath as she closed Emmett's door, drowning out the deep rumbling from inside. She was currently in the process of collecting the laundry. She had just done it a few days ago but Janice was supposed to stop by for a home inspection today and Esme was nervous. Janice had done them a favour, postponing the inspection until all the kids were in and settled; it really should have been done before they even arrived.

Carlisle was already up as well, the first smells of breakfast wafting up the stairs. Esme knew as soon as the bacon hit the pan the boys would be up. Edward might take some extra prodding but that's why they had Alice.

Esme worked quickly, tidying unnecessarily as she went: straightening bath towels, alphabetizing stacks of books, dusting the dustless ledges. There were five teenagers living with her and Carlisle now, but they weren't exactly a messy bunch, as long as you closed Emmett's door. In fact they were helpful, cleaning up after themselves and often offering to do things around the house, which Esme usually declined. She wanted them to enjoy themselves.

But today Esme wanted everything to go smoothly. As a favour the kids had promised to tidy up their rooms after breakfast. Esme descended the stairs and threw a load of laundry in the wash. She left Alice to the sorting once it was out of the dryer because frankly she couldn't yet tell which shirts belonged to Edward versus Jasper or whose pants she was folding at any given time. Alice happily sorted through everything, ensuring the appropriate clothes made it onto everyone's beds. Esme was grateful for her help in that department.

The bacon was sizzling full force, the smell knocking the wind from her lungs, as Esme entered the kitchen. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. Running around after teenagers, even ones who were still asleep, definitely worked up an appetite.

"Do you want a plate before the mob arrives?" Carlisle joked with a grin. There was a piece of toast in his hand and a spatula in the other. He had a _Kiss the Cook_ apron on and Esme took advantage of that as she nodded.

"Good morning," she whispered, pulling away.

"Yes it is," Carlisle mused. She brushed his blond hair aside, letting her fingers flutter down the side of his face. She rubbed her nose against his as he stole another kiss.

There was a small thud from above. Instinctively they both looked up towards the ceiling and laughed. Sometimes Alice started the morning by jumping off her bed. They heard as she skipped lightly down the hall. A door creaked. And so it began.

"Alice!" a deep voice groaned. Esme laughed, imagining Alice launching herself at Emmett's sleeping form, huddled under a mountain of covers. Two sets of feet were on the floor now, one light, barely audible, the other loud and brisk.

Alice's footsteps veered into Rosalie's room as Emmett's stopped somewhere near the bathroom.

"Alice, you're impossible," Rosalie complained. They heard the scrapping of the thick curtains as Alice opened the drapes Rosalie insisted on having installed in her room to keep the sun out in the morning. She didn't like seeing the sun until at least ten.

The toilet flushed. The heavy footsteps picked up and stopped, meeting the quiet pattering footsteps halfway down the hall.

There was a struggle. "No, Emmett!" Alice squealed and giggled. "Put me down."

"Just five more minutes," he sighed.

"No, you're up now. Stay vertical or I will jump on your head next time," she warned.

"Fine, I'm going to change." He placed Alice on the ground again and the heavy footsteps retreated into their room.

Alice huffed. "I'm serious Emmett." She banged on his door with a tiny fist before her quiet footfalls could be heard dashing back across the hall. "Rosalie!" Alice groaned. "Fine, if that's the way you want it."

"Alice, give me back my comforter!" Rosalie screeched at the top of her lungs. "It's freezing in here!"

Carlisle looked at Esme, wearing jogging pants and an old, fraying university sweater. He was dressed similarly. "Maybe I should turn the air down. Is it too cold in here?" LA was hot, even in October, so why were they dressed for snow? Maybe it was time to stop cranking the air.

"I haven't noticed much. I have you to keep me warm at night." Esme smirked. Carlisle chuckled, pulling her towards him so he could rest his chin on her head. He inhaled and sighed.

"Carlisle, the bacon," Esme said quickly.

"Oh, right. Sorry you were distracting me."

"Well, your apron does say _Kiss the Cook_," Esme pointed out, reaching up to peck is lips again.

"So you're distracting me to the point of burning the bacon, but the fact that it _is_ burnt is my fault?" He smirked.

"Definitely," Esme breathed against his neck.

There was tiny, whimsical laughter from above as the footsteps moved further down the hall accompanied by the sound of material being dragged, most likely Rosalie's comforter, as it shuffled against the wall.

"She's relentless," Esme laughed.

Carlisle shrugged. "She keeps them punctual."

"Edward!" Alice yelled. She stopped running once she was inside his room.

"Go away, Alice," Edward murmured, throwing a pillow at her.

"Wake up sleepy head," Alice sang, as she found a loud rock station on his stereo and cranked it. The shredding electric guitar was enough to send shiver down Esme's spine.

"She's good," Carlisle muttered. Alice was better than any alarm clock radio. She couldn't be ignored.

"My ears," Edward complained. "They're bleeding. What is that? It's just awful." They heard his bed squeak as he leaned over to yank the power cord out of the wall. But Alice wasn't discouraged.

She ran down the hall. It was quiet for a moment, then a pleasant "Good morning, little lady," could be heard.

Jasper was always so good about Alice's morning wake up calls. "Morning Jazz," she whispered. Esme smiled at her nickname for him.

"May I borrow this?" Alice asked.

They heard Jasper chuckle before his footsteps were added to the others.

Alice ran back towards Edward's room. The first strum of the guitar was on key, and then the notes became erratic and sloppy.

"Wake up you sleepy head. La, la. Get up right now. La, la. Edward, don't be so lazy. La, la," Alice sang, making up the stupid lyrics as she went along. Her pitch was perfect, though the melody left something to be desired.

Emmett's throaty chuckle could be heard now, as well as Rosalie's tinkling laugh. Edward always endured the worst of Alice's morning wake ups.

"Alice, you're killing me, you know that. You are really killing me," Edward moaned.

They heard the bed squeak again. There was another thud as Alice put the guitar down. She cheered, which obviously meant Edward was up for good.

They heard three sets of footsteps converge in the hall. There was muffled speech, followed by some particularly wicked laughter. It sounded like Edward.

"Get the pixie!" the voices shouted. Alice yelped and they heard as she descended down the stairs. She was so quick that Esme was pretty sure she slid down the banister.

In a matter of fifteen seconds five teenagers were assembled around the kitchen counter, eyeing Alice with annoyed adoration. It was hard not to love her when she pouted and stuck out her bottom lip just so. Rosalie rolled her eyes but smirked. Jasper sat, his stomach growling. Emmett was on the same train of thought, picking up a fork and pointing at Alice.

"This is only okay because there's bacon," he teased. Alice giggled her musical laugh.

Edward still looked grumpy but when Alice reached her arms around him and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek it was easy to see that she was forgiven.

Eventually after much stumbling, plate knocking, fork falling, and the fridge door opening about twelve times, everyone was settled around the island counter. Esme and Carlisle had bought more stools for these lazy morning meals when no one had the energy to move to the dining room with their food.

"What time is Janice coming?" Edward asked after a gulp of orange juice.

Esme set a French vanilla coffee in front of Rosalie. Jasper took his black. They were her coffee drinkers.

"Around eleven," Esme said. "I'd appreciate it if you were all dressed by then."

The kids nodded in mutual agreement. They had a little less than two hours to pull themselves together.

"Should I wear my birthday suit?" Emmett asked, with his cheeks puffed. He was in the middle of chewing. His eyes twinkled jokingly.

Carlisle smirked. Rosalie rolled her eyes. She punched Emmett's shoulder at the same time Alice did. Emmett didn't even flinch but Alice had to shake out her hand.

Esme pointed her fork at Emmett. "You will wear no such thing. You are required to be fully clothed when we have company," Esme said seriously. Under her stern glare, her eyes were smiling.

"So when we don't have company…"

"You are still required to be fully clothed." Esme dropped her fork on her plate.

"Just checking," Emmett smirked.

"And let's keep the inappropriate comments to a minimum, shall we, at least until after Janice has come and gone."

"I'll be perfectly charming," Emmett crowed. "I'll only use my best pickup lines."

"And what would those be," Rosalie scoffed, holding a mug to her lips.

"Don't get him started," Edward moaned. "Please."

Alice bounced and clapped her hands with anticipation.

Emmett's grin widened until it wrapped around his face. He cleared his throat. He glanced at Rosalie. "I usually start with something like…are you a parking ticket? Cause you've got _fine_ written all over you."

Rosalie shrugged. "I've heard that one before."

Emmett nodded. "How about this? If you were a booger, I'd pick you first."

"Eww," Alice squealed, covering her mouth with her hand.

Esme groaned. "We're eating, Emmett." Carlisle shook his head.

"I'm glad I haven't heard that one," Rosalie said, her face scrunched up. "That's actually disgusting."

Esme nodded. "I really hope you haven't used that on any poor girls."

Emmett waved them off. "That was nothing. You should have heard what I said to an old lady when we left the hospital."

Carlisle dropped his face into his hands.

Emmett touched his chest thoughtfully. "My love for you is like diarrhea. I just can't hold it in."

"Carlisle!" Esme shrieked, looking appalled. "He didn't"

"He did," Jasper assured her, his Texas twang coming out. Alice watched him longingly. Rosalie nodded at what Jasper said, remembering how the old lady had taken a swipe at Emmett with her cane before Carlisle intervened.

"I apologized profusely," Carlisle said.

"How 'bout this one, then. Did you fart? Because you just blew me away."

Emmett doubled over with laughter at his own pick up line. Edward jeered, but Alice and Jasper had joined the giggle fest.

"Emmett, that is so unbelievably rude," Esme gasped. "Honestly, how do you manage?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "It's okay Esme, Emmett's brain cells don't work until after noon. He should be less pathetic then."

Emmett smirked. "I'm just getting started. By the way, is your last name Gillette? Cause you're the best a man can get." He wiggled his eyebrows at Rosalie who sneered in response.

Esme crossed her arms. "You know Emmett, some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything but you can't help smile when you see them tumble down the stairs…"

There was a resounding "Oh," from the group. Alice pounded the counter, laughing.

Emmett looked shocked, but then he beamed. "Well played, Esme. Well played."

"Mrs. Cullen!" Carlisle was gaping at her. "Where did you learn to say such things?"

Esme shrugged. There was a wicked smile on her face.

They continued to banter back and forth. Carlisle was impressed and struck silent by Esme's ability to spar against Emmett's inappropriate humor. She was usually so composed. This was an entirely new side of Esme, but eventually he had to put a stop to the good natured fun.

"Alright that's enough. Janice will be here soon. Emmett, stop corrupting my wife," Carlisle teased, ushering the teenagers upstairs. He watched Esme, still shocked, for a few more minutes. She hummed quietly as she cleared the counter and loaded the dishwasher.

"Take a picture, dear, it will last longer," Esme teased, looking up at him through her hair.

He stepped forward as she stood and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"Ten years of marriage and you still continue to surprise me," Carlisle mused. "I love you. Do you know that?"

"I figured that much," she giggled. "You know, I know a few inappropriate jokes of my own—involving doctors and patients. I think you'd appreciate them."

Carlisle felt the sides of his face prickle. He couldn't remember the last time he wanted to blush like this. He shook his head in disbelief. "Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?"

Esme tilted her head, "Why, do you miss her?"

"I always miss her, but I like this new Esme too. Maybe she should come around more often."

"Oh, she'll be back," Esme said.

"Tonight?"

"If that's what you'd like, Doctor."

Carlisle chuckled kissing her once, twice. Esme's eyes rolled back as his lips traced a path from her jaw line to just behind her ear, "I also know some dirty jokes, my love."

Esme inhaled sharply. She was about to respond to the smirk on his face but then someone shouted, "Esme! Carlisle! Alice keeps rearranging my sock drawer. Can you restrain her or something?"

"I'm just tidying Emmett's room," Alice called. "He's such a slob."

"It's organized chaos," Emmett yelled.

"It's a pigsty," Alive retorted. Emmett continued to argue. They could hear Alice's "humph" as she stomped her foot. "Rosalie thinks so too."

Emmett went quiet.

Carlisle chuckled. "Come on; let's go before Alice rearranges all the closets again."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. That girl has a career as a professional organizer," Esme said seriously, taking Carlisle's arm and leading him upstairs.

Forty-five minutes later everyone was dressed respectably, the rooms had been tidied, the kitchen sparkled, and the laundry had been switched. In Esme's books they had quite a productive morning. For being so compliant, Carlisle promised the kids that whoever wasn't going to church could sleep in until noon tomorrow and that seemed to please everyone, except Edward, who was now torn.

The doorbell rang and Emmett and Alice raced Carlisle to the front door. Carlisle couldn't help but grin at their eagerness.

"Good morning," he heard Janice's voice on the other side of the door as Emmett opened it a crack.

"Welcome to the Cullen residence," Emmett boomed. "No solicitors please. Have a nice day and don't trample the grass on your way out."

Edward snorted from the living room but Esme tensed. Carlisle gripped his forehead in his hands as he made his way down the hall, making a mental note of not allowing Emmett to open the door anymore.

Alice reefed the door open, nudging Emmett out of the way.

"Hi, I'm Alice, in case you forgot. Come in, don't mind Emmett, he was dropped on his head as a baby."

There was a yelp as Emmett whipped Alice off her feet and over his shoulder. "Come on pipsqueak, let the Doc talk."

"Welcome, Janice. How've you been lately?" Carlisle inquired cordially, shaking Janice's hand as he approached.

"Good, thanks, how about you? It seems awfully quiet here considering you have five teenagers."

"They're just waiting for the right moment to strike," Carlisle said and Janice laughed.

He led her to the sitting room.

"Good morning everyone," Janice said. The kids nodded and there were various "hellos". Janice shook hands with Esme.

"I know it's Saturday and that you probably have better things to do, so I'll make this as painless and as quick as possible." Janice smiled and the kids perked up.

"I need to see the bedrooms and then I'll need a quick tour of the rest of the house."

Esme nodded.

"Since the kids are all competent, why don't they show me around the bedrooms?" Janice offered.

Alice jumped to her feet. "My room first," she declared, dancing towards the stairs. "Come on, Janice."

The rest of the kids stood and followed. Esme stood by Carlisle, watching them disappear, gripping her elbows nervously.

"My love, stop worrying, everything is fine," he said kissing the tip of her nose.

"I just don't want anything to take them away from us," Esme sighed.

"Nothing will. They are here to stay."

About twenty minutes later Janice returned. She was alone.

"I've asked the kids to wait upstairs while we finish up down here."

Esme must have looked concerned because Janice patted her arm. "Nothing to worry about Esme, the house is impeccable."

"So why have the kids been asked to barricade themselves upstairs?" Carlisle asked.

Janice grinned knowingly. "Well I wanted to talk to you about their progress and that is easier to do without them hanging on every word."

Carlisle nodded.

"And I sensed they would be happier without having to trail along behind me. I know you've known them and been caring for them for a few months already, but considering they've only been here, at the house, for a couple weeks, you have some very devoted teenagers up there."

Carlisle smiled and kissed Esme's hand as they led Janice through the lower levels. She toured the kitchen, the main level bathroom, the living room, the laundry room, and the basement game room. She nodded at each room, checked boxes off on her sheet, and asked questions, but mostly she discussed her observations of the kids. In the short time she was here she had noticed remarkable differences from the way they had been in the hospital.

"Alice and Edward couldn't stop raving about how wonderful you are. Alice gushed about her room and all the effort you went through to make sure dance was still a part of her life. When I was alone with Edward in his room for a moment he told me about how supportive you two have been, how well you deal with the trauma they've experienced. They're both really taken with you. Honestly I was surprised at how much Edward had to say considering how little he said at the hospital. He's still quiet, but he made sure I knew how much he liked being here."

Carlisle smiled and Esme wiped away a few stray tears from her cheeks.

"Emmett boasted about the food, which didn't surprise me. He was also impressed with your sense of humor and how well you put up with him. I laughed at him when he told me that but he shook his head. He said most people wouldn't put up with and these are his words, "his bullshit", but he said you guys are really good sports.

"Jasper said he has never known two nicer people in his entire life and that he doesn't know how he is going to make it up to you for opening your home and showing them the kindness that you have, but assured me he will try."

Esme was sobbing quietly and Carlisle had her tucked under his arm.

Janice continued. "But the one that surprised me the most was Rosalie."

Carlisle and Esme exchanged nervous glances.

Janice gestured for them all to take a seat. "You know I was in her room. She stood behind me in the door way. I could feel her glare on my back. I asked her about the lack of furniture and belongings in her room. It wasn't accusing, I was just curious. The others seemed to have added a bit of character to their rooms. Rosalie's just seemed plain in comparison, so I inquired."

Janice took a breath in the middle of her explanation.

"The girl can glare, I'll tell you that much. She watched me for a moment and then said, and I quote, 'I know what you're doing. Stop trying to find things wrong with Carlisle and Esme. This is my room, and it is this way because I want it this way.'

"Oh, Janice, I'm so sorry," Carlisle began. Janice shook her head and smiled.

"She was cold, hostile, but she was defending you. I wasn't accusing you of anything, everything is set up perfectly to have them here, but Rosalie felt like I was threatening you and jumped to your defence."

Esme squeezed Carlisle's hand. Janice sighed.

"You know what that poor girl has been through. To have her say something like that, it's just, amazing. She really trusts the two of you. I don't know what you're doing to help them, but whatever it is, it's working."

Esme smiled a watery smile. Carlisle kissed her cheek then looked at Janice.

"I know it seems crazy to say something like this already, but we just love them unconditionally Janice. It doesn't matter what they say or do, they belong with us."

"Well then, you'll be happy to know that I have found no reason to think they are not perfectly safe and happy living here." Janice smiled. "They're good for you too, I think."

With happy smiles all around Carlisle and Esme escorted Janice to the door and waved as she disappeared down the driveway.

"So did you get rid of the fuzz?" Emmett asked as the front door closed. He was pulling Rosalie down the stairs with him. Alice followed. Jasper and Edward hung back, settling themselves on the stairs. The atmosphere seemed tense and Jasper wanted to steer away from it.

"She's not a cop, Emmett," Esme said.

"She investigated like one," Rosalie sneered. Her arms were crossed.

Esme smiled at her.

"That's her job," Carlisle said. "A lot of people become foster parents for all the wrong reasons. We need people like Janice to weed those people out so the kids who need help are placed with the right families."

Rosalie gave a non-committal head nod. It was clear that Janice's visit did not sit well with her.

"Alright, enough with the heavy," Carlisle said. "It's almost Halloween and Esme has been bugging me to pick out pumpkins for weeks already. Does anyone else want to tag along?"

There was an immediate flurry of activity.

As it turns out all the kids wanted to go. Rosalie had never carved a pumpkin and Carlisle and Esme never inquired as to why, knowing it would only bring up bad memories. They were determined to make new ones.

They wouldn't all easily fit in the Mercedes, nor did Carlisle want to drive it out to the farm, so they took the SUV, which fit everyone comfortably and left trunk room for the pumpkins. The most difficult decision before they hit the highway was deciding what station to leave the radio on. In the end it didn't matter since the music became background noise anyway.

It was about an hour out of the city but the way there was filled with laughter and pleasant conversations.

Once they arrived it was like setting a kid loose in a candy store. Carlisle and Esme walked the rows of neatly space pumpkins as the five teens raced, each searching for the best one. They laughed at the excited looks on each of their faces and Esme snapped pictures of the unsuspecting teens on their first official outing as a full group.

In the end, Jasper and Emmett decided on oddly shaped pumpkins, determined to carve scary, horror faces. Emmett wanted his to look like it was puking up guts so he decided to use the seeds inside as fake pumpkin vomit. Rosalie found one that she approved of, perfectly round and not too heavy, for her first attempt at pumpkin carving. Edward wanted one with a flat side. He had an intricate picture of a haunted house forming in his mind and Alice's, well, it took both Carlisle and Emmett to lift it into the trunk. It dwarfed all the other pumpkins at least ten times over.

The ride home was surprisingly quiet. For several moments the kids seemed content to just sit and think, reflecting on the day. Then one by one they nodded off or dug out head phones, choosing an IPod playlist and closing their eyes.

Carlisle watched them in the rear-view mirror, happy, safe, and loved. Esme leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It's a little bit perfect isn't it," she said.

He smiled. "Yes, it is."

* * *

**So...tell me what you think, pretty please :) Reviews are super appreciated. Things all seem so happy right now...I kind of love it. But all good things must come to an end. Can't be all lovey dovey all the time, even with people like Carlisle and Esme looking after them :P I sense something brewing... is it time for a breakdown...or a break through? Maybe both...**


	21. Chapter 21

**Good morning readers...or good night, depending on where you're reading this from. Here's the next chapter of ****_In Another Life_**** for your enjoyment. I never really set a schedule for myself for updating, I just type when inspiration strikes and upload when I'm satisfied, but it looks like it'll probably be at least once a week, Thursday or Friday...maybe more often if I slack off of work. But don't tell anyone. I'm trying not to get fired ;P**

**So anyway, I just want to apologize in advance if this chapter is not up to my usual edited standards. I have a really bad habit of re-reading my chapters to edit them and then adding a bunch more details which then means I should edit the entire thing over again, but frankly I'm just to tired to read this chapter again and the words are starting to blur together. Plus I really wanted to get it posted for you guys today, so if there is anything horribly obnoxious let me know. :)**

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Esme and Carlisle were up early again, eating breakfast before church. As promised the kids were taking advantage of being able to sleep super late. Carlisle had no doubt that they wouldn't see them until noon. Even little Alice, their early riser, had decided to ignore the sun, instead choosing to bury her head under the covers.

It had been a late night of pumpkin carving, which resulted in a pumpkin goop war. Even though Esme wished she could blame it on the kids, this one was all on Carlisle, who promptly started the fiasco when he deliberately smeared the seeds from Esme's pumpkin all over her face while she was distracted by the mess Emmett was making. That proceeded to get worse when Esme chased him down with her own handful of pumpkin guts, making sure to string the orange cobwebs through his hair. She kissed him fiercely, covering his lips with pumpkin.

They broke apart laughing and that's when Emmett decided to take his pumpkin's vomit and dump it on Edward's head. And so began a long drawn out war that was only stopped when the last pumpkin seed had been fired across the basement. The cleanup wasn't as much fun but their carved pumpkins survived the ordeal and looked very cool on the front porch. Alice's was so big that she could actually sit inside it once it had been cleaned out.

Carlisle smirked at the memory of last night. Once the kids were asleep, he had spent a good hour in the shower with Esme, making sure every inch of her was pumpkin free, while she made good on her promise of telling him her dirty jokes. Needless to say it was a very eventful night, which explained why the kids would be asleep until lunch.

Carlisle flipped lazily through the morning paper, searching out the crossword. He was talking animatedly to Esme who was browning some bagels when he suddenly stopped mid-sentence. It was abrupt enough to make her turn around, gazing at his expression with a frown.

"We need to keep the kids off the TV tonight," he murmured, eyes fixed on something he had read. He turned the paper around, allowing Esme to see the dark printed highlights. In the _Today_ section something had caught Carlisle's attention.

**_Remembering the Victims of Flight 703, tonight at 8/7 central_**

"Oh dear," Esme murmured, reading through the description quickly. "It's a memorial show, honoring victims of the crash."

Carlisle nodded, his lips pulled into a tight line.

"Do you think it is something they are ready to see?" Esme asked, looking up at him.

"I don't know." Carlisle ran a hand through his hair, something he did when he was either thinking or nervous. "Probably not, let's just make a point of not being home tonight. We can take the kids out for a late dinner," Carlisle suggested.

Esme nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

A set of footsteps that could be heard on the stairs snapped both of them out of their worry and back to reality. Carlisle tore the page of the newspaper out and crumpled it in his hand. He tossed it in the trash. Esme pushed the trash bin back under the cupboard and kicked the door closed as she waited for the toaster to pop.

"Edward," Esme said, surprised as he entered the kitchen fully dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. He looked particularly handsome. He had even tamed his wild hair. She could smell the gel. "I didn't expect to see you up this early."

"Did Alice wake you?" Carlisle asked with a smirk.

"No, everyone's asleep as far as I know. Emmett's snoring is drowning out all other noise, so I can't be sure, but the fact that Alice wasn't jumping on my bed this morning leads me to believe that I'm the only one up," Edward mused thoughtfully.

Carlisle laughed. "Just thought you'd get an early start on the day, then?"

"Actually, I'd like to go to church, with you, if that's okay," Edward said sheepishly.

Carlisle double blinked, mouth frozen in a tiny 'O'. Esme kissed him on the cheek so he would close his mouth.

"Of course it's okay." Esme smiled. "Eat," she said, passing Edward a bagel with cream cheese.

After a quick breakfast and a decent attempt at the crossword, Carlisle and Esme left to get dressed. Though it was something they did every weekend, today's outing felt particularly special because Edward was accompanying them. Faith was always a big part of Carlisle's life. His parents, Eleazar and Carmen, had raised him and his three sisters, Tanya, Kate, and Irina, that way. Even though it took Carlisle most of his life to understand how his faith made him a stronger person, most of which he discovered when Esme came into his world, he was glad that it was now something he could share with Edward.

The house was quiet as Carlisle closed and locked the front door behind them. Edward seemed contemplative on the drive to the church, which continued well through mass. It was easy to see that he was thinking. Esme always liked that about church. It was a time when you could just sit and think. During and even after her time with Charles, Esme always felt a great deal of comfort in the reflection that she gained from the short services.

The service was beautiful and Sunday's always had the choir, which Edward seemed to enjoy. His eyes would drift towards the piano whenever it sparked to life to introduce another hymn.

Mass ended but before they could leave, a pint-sized woman practically skipped towards them.

"Good morning, Maggie," Carlisle said as they walked up the main aisle to the back of the church. He had one hand around Esme's waist, holding her close, and the other on Edward's shoulder. He reached out to take Maggie's hand.

She was a lively young woman, with blue eyes and short red hair, which bounced in tight ringlets on her shoulders. Her small stature and sprightly nature reminded Edward of Alice.

She smiled at them. "Morning Carlisle, Esme. It's good to see you here. And who is this handsome young man?" she said, gesturing to Edward.

Edward ducked his head, blushing, but Carlisle chuckled.

"This is Edward. Edward, meet Maggie. She's the brilliant choir instructor."

Now it was Maggie's turn to blush as she shook Edward's hand. "I wouldn't say brilliant. The piano's more my forte," she said. "It's really nice to meet you, Edward."

"Was that you playing today?" Edward asked.

"Yep, like I said, singing was never really for me. I have a good ear, but the voice leaves something to be desired." Maggie giggled to herself.

"The ever modest Maggie," Carlisle joked and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, on the note of piano playing," Maggie began. "I have come to ask a favour."

Carlisle raise an eyebrow as Maggie continued. "I am unable to make it to the Sunday service next week and Esme, I was wondering if you would fill in for me?"

Esme blanked, her voice cracking.

Maggie shook her hands. "You wouldn't have to worry about the choir. Siobhan's looking after that. They know what they're doing. There are just a few pieces I need someone to play. And I know you play."

"Oh, Maggie, I really can't," Esme told her. "I haven't played like that," she gestured to the large piano at the front of the church, "since I was a little girl."

"Esme, you can't lie to me," Maggie grinned. "I've seen the piano in your dining room. I've heard you play before. Please!" Maggie took her hands.

"I-uh-I," Esme faltered. "I wouldn't even know when to start playing."

Maggie smiled. "No problem, Father Liam, will give you a nod when it's time. It's really no big deal, I promise."

"Maggie," Esme hummed. "I don't think I can do this. I'm not the right person."

"Please Esme; I'll give you the sheet music now. You can have the week to practice it. You'll be phenomenal, I know it. Please. I'll owe you forever."

"Come on, dear, you can do it," Carlisle encouraged.

Esme smirked. "Are you two teaming up on me now?"

"If that's what it takes," Maggie said. "Please."

"Edward thinks it's a good idea too," Carlisle pointed out.

Esme snapped her head in Edward's direction. The boy was positively grinning from ear to ear. He nodded in relation to Carlisle's comment and Esme sighed, defeated.

"I think I've been set up," Esme murmured. "Alright, fine." She crossed her arms. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Thank you, Esme, thank you. I will make it up to you, I promise," Maggie said, dancing on the spot.

Esme shook her head as Maggie riffled through her bag to pass along the sheet music for next week. "This is going to be a disaster," Esme moaned, flipping through the pages. She could already see the tiny black lines on the page blurring. She would have to spend a night just figuring out the notes. Reading sheet music was never something she was good at.

"Don't worry, my love," Carlisle said with a smile. "I will help you."

"That is very thoughtful Carlisle, but you don't have one musical bone in your body," Esme sighed on a laugh and Edward chuckled.

Carlisle winked at Maggie before they left. He turned to Esme on the way to the car, opening the passenger door for her. "But I am a great listener," he said, giving Edward a grin.

"That's true," she mused.

"Well, at least when this all goes horribly wrong, you can't say I didn't warn you. You and Maggie are horrible. I can't believe I let you two talk me into this."

Carlisle laughed climbing in behind the wheel. "And Edward," he reminded her. "He was a silent contributor."

Esme smirked, turning in her seat. "Will you come next week to see me make a fool of myself," she asked, wondering whether or not Edward would join them again. Carlisle stopped rubbing circles on the back of her hand and kissed it.

Edward nodded. "I'll be there, but you'll do great Esme, I know it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Edward, but I'm not so sure."

Carlisle and Esme were surprised to find the house still silent when they got home. For once Edward took it upon himself to wake Alice up. He laughed as she stretched and moaned, telling him to go away. Edward just poked her sides until she gave in and stood up on her bed. "I'm up, I'm up," she said in surrender, jumping off the mountain of pillows, and flitting into the closet.

Esme laughed as she passed the door. If Alice was up then everyone else would be too.

Even after more than twelve hours of sleep the teenagers filtered down the stairs groggy and unable to keep their eyes open.

With Carlisle's help Esme started on lunch knowing that food would get the energy flowing. Rosalie often helped in the kitchen as well. It was easier that way, since Rosalie knew her vegan diet the best. Esme had to admit that she never knew there were so many uses for tofu.

After a quick lunch the kids decided it was time to get out of the house for a while. Carlisle offered to drop them off at the mall and that seemed to go over well, especially with Alice, who almost leapt out of her chair at the suggestion.

"I have to run into the hospital for a little while anyway," Carlisle said, kissing Esme's forehead on his way out the door. The kids were already assembled on the front steps, waiting. They could hear Alice chastising Emmett for his lack of fashionable clothing, since he had chosen to leave the house in sweats. That was not okay with Alice.

"Edward, are you sure you won't come?" Carlisle asked again.

"No, I think I need a nap," Edward replied through a yawn.

Esme laughed. "You were up early."

Edward laughed along with her.

"Alright then, we'll be home in a little while."

"Carlisle," Esme called before he shut the door. "Will you make reservations for tonight?"

He promised he would as the door closed behind him.

"Reservations?" Edward asked.

"For dinner. Carlisle and I thought it would be nice for everyone to go out tonight," Esme explained.

Edward nodded.

"You should probably get started on that nap," Esme said, grinning. "Take advantage of the quiet while you can."

As Edward settled in upstairs he could hear Esme settle in at the piano. For a few minutes he could hear her dotting the pages with a pen, probably filling out the notes. If she couldn't easily read sheet music it would be faster for her to memorize the piece that way.

Her first attempts at the music were slow. He could tell that she was struggling to find a pattern in the notes. Her rhythm was shaky because she was unsure. The chord progression was a little complicated, but nothing you couldn't accomplish with practice. Still, Edward could sense her frustration as her hand came down on a series of flat notes.

Slowly he made his way down the stairs and watched Esme as she plucked the keys half-heartedly. She looked up, sensing someone's presence.

"That bad, huh?" She mustered a small smile.

"No, it's not that bad. You're actually very close," Edward said. Esme raised her eyebrows at him and he stalled, wondering if he was capable of doing this. Edward debated for a second and then took a step forward, finding the resolve he needed. "Here let me show you."

Edward sat beside her on the bench and played the piece through easily. He found himself in that piece, remembering, feeling. He had forgotten how much he loved the piano, how much the music meant to him. He had forgotten how much he missed this, the feeling of the ivory slipping beneath his fingers.

"Edward, that was amazing," Esme breathed. She was so astonished by him that she hadn't even realized she had been holding her breath.

Edward muttered a "Thanks," and then, "Here you try," he said, arranging the sheet music in front of her again.

"Oh no, I can't," Esme began, waving her hands in front of her. "I'm out of practice. I don't even know why I agreed to do this."

"I'll help you," Edward assured her, placing her fingers on the correct keys to begin. He moved his own hands down an octave and together they played. He slowed the melody to allow her to follow him through the difficult parts.

Esme sighed. She had given up about half way through the piece, distracted by the ease at which Edward's hands moved. She was mesmerized by his talent. "Edward, you're wonderful. Will you play something else?" she asked.

Edward grimaced and pulled his hands back form the keys. "I always played with my mother," he mumbled.

"Oh, I see." Esme squeezed his hand, smiling sympathetically.

"I-I just don't feel right playing without her," Edward told her.

"I understand," Esme assured him. "But thank you for helping me." She smiled at Edward and his heart seemed to melt. She was so wonderfully kind, so motherly, he couldn't refuse her. She had done so much for him, playing for her was the least he could do.

"Actually," Edward began. "I have been working on something….since I've been here. It's not written down or anything," he mumbled. "I've just been arranging it in my head. So it might be a little rough. Would you like to hear it?"

"I'd love too," Esme said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Edward relaxed into the piece. When he had first noticed the piano he never dreamt of playing again. He felt like he was betraying his mother, betraying her memory, everything she meant to him. The piano was theirs, only theirs to share. He couldn't let anyone else take her place. But then he realized, that after everything he had lost, God had, in a way, made sure he could still have one of the most important things in his life. He could no longer play for his mother but he could play for Esme.

Edward let the last note ring out, echoing in the small room triumphantly.

Esme wiped at her eyes. "We'll have to get you some blank sheet music," she whispered. "That was beautiful. It needs to be written down."

Edward smiled. "It's not something I could easily forget. You inspired it. Well, you and Carlisle. I've been composing it as a thank you."

"Edward, you don't have to thank us. You make us so happy. Your being here is enough."

Edward took her hand. "Esme, you have no idea how much you have already helped me. Thank you would never be enough anyway, but hopefully this is a start," Edward said as his fingers graced the keys once more.

"Edward, promise me you will never stop playing," Esme said.

"I promise," he said with his crooked smile and for an afternoon they sat together, Edward playing and Esme listening, both enjoying each other's company.

Later in the afternoon Carlisle popped his head into the dining room. "Es, you sound great," he said.

Esme laughed. "Thanks dear, but I assure you, that is all Edward. Did you find what you were looking for at the hospital?"

Carlisle raised his brows. "Uh, yah," he mumbled. "You play, Edward?"

"My mother taught me," Edward said, letting the piece finish subtly.

"You're amazing," Carlisle said, still in shock.

Edward smiled, cleaning up and organizing the sheet music.

Carlisle shook his head. "Esme, I was just coming to let you know that I've made reservations for tonight at seven."

Esme checked her watch. They only had two hours. "That's soon. Do you want me to go pick up the kids?"

"Please. I'm going to grab a quick shower."

Edward stood from the piano bench. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Nowhere too fancy. It's just a casual night," Carlisle told him.

Edward smiled. "I'm going to change. I think Alice would approve of jeans. I should probably call her though and make sure. I wouldn't want to endure her wrath for the entire night."

Carlisle and Esme should have laughed, but the comment couldn't have been closer to the truth. They heard the pitter-patter of feet as Edward raced up the stairs.

Carlisle moved to Esme as she gathered up the sheet music, placing it in a nice pile on top of the piano. The last thing she wanted to do was lose it.

Carlisle snaked his hands around her waist from behind, pulling her against him. He leaned forward to kiss her neck and she leaned her head against his chest.

"I've missed you Mrs. Cullen," he murmured.

Esme giggled. "Carlisle, you've only been gone for a few hours," she said.

"I know, and it looks like you had all the fun without me."

Esme grabbed his hands. "He simply lit up once he started playing, Carlisle. I think Edward made a significant breakthrough today."

"You're so wonderful with him, Esme."

Esme smirked. "Now, if I can only convince him to play at Mass next weekend then everything would be perfect."

"I don't think he'd say no to you," Carlisle whispered as Esme turned in his arms.

"And I think the congregation and their poor ears would appreciate Edward's playing to mine," Esme said. "Now you better go shower, I'll get the kids."

She tried to back away but Carlisle moved with her, his hands clamped around her waist.

"Carlisle," Esme giggled. He had her back pressed against the wall of the dining room.

Slowly he began tracing small circles on her thigh through her dress. She was still dressed in her church clothes.

"You're beautiful," Carlisle mused. He leaned forward, capturing her lips. His hands moved to cup her face, then pressed against the wall on either side of her head as his lips travelled across her jaw and down her neck, leaving fluttering kisses along her collar bone.

"Carlisle," Esme gasped, thrusting forward. She wanted to be closer to him.

He groaned in response, his hands moving down again. The fabric hugging her curves was so thin. There was basically nothing separating them and yet it felt like a huge barrier: one that needed to be removed immediately. Esme pushed against his hips again, feathering her fingers through his hair as she moved her lips with his.

"We should stop," she said breathlessly.

Carlisle nodded. "We should, my love." He lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

She shuddered at his touch, gasping for air as he claimed her lips once more. They were quickly unravelling in each other's arms.

They heard Edward moving around upstairs.

"We need to continue this somewhere private, Mrs. Cullen," Carlisle said huskily. His eyes were dark and wild with desire.

Esme swallowed, her lips brushing his. "The kids?" she whimpered as Carlisle slid his hand under her dress along her thigh.

"The shower?" Carlisle offered.

"We'll pick them up on the way to the restaurant," Esme said and Carlisle kissed her fiercely. Stealthily they made their way to the shower, which was good since Esme's legs were still wrapped around Carlisle's waist. Edward had his IPod on, thankfully oblivious to their less than appropriate displays of affection as they moved through the hall.

Once in their room, clothes were abandoned and bathroom doors were locked. The noise of the water drowned out the sounds of their love making as Carlisle took Esme against the shower wall. They didn't have time for slow, but neither of them had that much patience today.

"Thanks for dinner," Alice said hugging Carlisle and kissing Esme on the cheek before racing up the stairs. She still managed to flit around like a fairy, even weighed down by numerous shopping bags. Jasper trailed after her, carrying the rest of the bags Alice had acquired in the few short hours she was set loose in the mall.

"Come on, Edward." Alice called. "Wait until you see all the stuff we got for Halloween."

Edward gave her a funny look but Alice waved it off. "I'm so excited," she trilled, skipping down the hall.

Rosalie shook her head at Edward. "Just go with it. It's easier for everyone that way."

Emmett smirked, clapping Edward on the shoulder. "It's going to be epic, bro." Emmett turned to Carlisle and Esme from the top of the stairs. "See you in the morning," he called.

Esme and Carlisle whished the kids goodnight. Carlisle dressed quickly for bed, before promising to meet Esme on the couch downstairs. He had some last minute emails he wanted to send concerning some patient files. Esme took her time brushing her hair and eventually pulled on pajamas, after turning down the bed. On her way down the stairs, she paused outside each door on the second floor, watching the sleeping forms of each kid rise and fall. She smiled, quietly closing all the doors.

A familiar and rather unwelcomed sight greeted Esme as she found Carlisle in the living room, running a hand through his hair.

"This is still on?" Esme asked through a yawn. Carlisle was seated on the couch, remote in his hand, eyes captivated by the television as they had been on that horrible night several months ago.

"Must be a repeat," Carlisle mused, as Esme plopped herself down beside him. Carlisle wrapped his arm around her as she leaned against his shoulder.

"Why would they put this on repeat, it's bad enough it was on once," Esme murmured, watching the footage of the plane hitting the ground and bursting into flame as the engines caught fire.

"I think it's a publicity thing. You know the investigation is still ongoing. People want retribution. They want someone to pay for what happened. The victim's families want answers."

Esme nodded. "It's sad how people forget about things like this, so much so, they have to replay it on TV a few months later just to remind us."

"I think they figure by dragging it up again, someone will get to the bottom of the investigation. It should jumpstart all the legal activity."

"That's horrible," Esme said. "I'm not saying there shouldn't be answers and retribution for all the suffering, but do they have to do it at the survivors' and victims' expense?"

Carlisle shrugged his agreement. It was obvious the program was more about reliving the horrific images of that day than actually honoring the memory of those who had died.

Esme shuddered, imagining each of the kids being stuck on that plane as it hit the ground. The volume was low, really low, but Esme could still hear the sirens wailing, the scream of ambulances and fire trucks as they surrounded the burning wreckage. Esme watched as stretcher after stretcher was wheeled away from the plane, injured people flailing and screaming. She was surprised they put these images on television in the first place. Seeing them again only made it more real.

Having the kids with her and Carlisle every day, seeing the progress they made, it was easy to forget sometimes, the horrors they had seen. Her heart broke all over again for them. Carlisle squeezed her hand, letting her know that he felt the same.

A small cry of distress broke them away from the images on the screen. Carlisle and Esme turned, snapping their heads around to the staircase. Rosalie was standing at the bottom of the stairs, trembling, as she gripped the banister for support.

"Oh, Rosalie," Esme began, jumping to her feet.

Rosalie's eyes were wide, horror stricken, as she watched the TV. Her gaze was glued. Even though she desperately wanted to, she couldn't peel her eyes away. Carlisle was on his feet now as well.

"Rosalie," he whispered, stepping forward.

She stumbled back, tripping on the stairs. Her legs gave out, landing her on the bottom step. It seemed to snap her out of the living nightmare. "I-I-I…" Her voice quivered.

She blinked back the tears that had gathered in her eyes and bolted up the stairs again. Esme heard her door close with a muffled thud. She waited, listening. It was quiet, no one else was up, but Esme knew Rosalie wouldn't sleep tonight, not after seeing that.

"How long do you think she was there?" Esme whispered. "I didn't even hear her come down the stairs."

"Long enough to drag up the memories." Carlisle sighed and laid his hands on Esme's shoulders. "We need to go talk to her."

"Let me try," Esme said, gripping his hand on her shoulder and turning to face him.

Carlisle nodded. "Alright, my love. I'm here if you need me."

Esme ascended the stairs slowly. She didn't know exactly what she was going to say to Rosalie, she didn't even know how to begin, so she started by knocking.

As Esme laid her ear against the door she could hear the muffled dry sobs.

Esme knocked again. There was still no answer. She didn't expect there to be, she was just trying to be polite before entering. Once more Esme knocked, then she gripped the brass handle and twisted. The door popped open an inch.

Esme could see Rosalie's hunched form in the middle of her bed. She was shrouded by shadows, cast by the dim light from her bedside lamp. It was enough light for Esme to see the racking sobs that shook her body. Long blonde hair draped over Rosalie's shoulders and down her back, shaking like waves.

"Rosalie, I'm coming in," Esme said, moving inside the room and closing the door behind her. She didn't want to ask Rosalie if she could come in and give the girl a chance to say no. Esme had been through this before, not exactly the same type of trauma, but the same type of pain and she knew that there was a time when the person should be left alone and a time when they shouldn't, even if they yelled and screamed and told you to go away.

That's how Carlisle had gotten through to her when Charles had left her broken and beaten. Sometimes space and time was all that was needed and sometimes you needed to be held and told that everything was going to be okay. That's what Rosalie needed now.

If they left her alone she would wallow in her pit of misery and despair. Slowly it would eat away at her until only wisps of the girl she should be remained. And eventually it would be too late to get her back. Esme wouldn't let that happen. With his love Carlisle had saved her and she was determined to do the same for Rosalie.

Rosalie acknowledged her presence by taking a quick glance over at the door. When she saw Esme standing there, the sobbing only intensified.

"Oh, sweet girl," Esme said, moving to sit on the edge of Rosalie's bed. She pulled Rosalie towards her and wrapped her in a tight hug. Rosalie shuddered but collapsed into Esme's arms, burying her face against Esme's shoulder.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Esme whispered. "Carlisle and I tried to keep you away from it. We really did."

Rosalie coughed and spluttered, her body sucking in deep breaths of air.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Esme asked, pressing her forehead against Rosalie's.

She felt Rosalie shake her head back and forth, sobbing and hiccupping as she did.

Rosalie's eyes were red and puffy from where she had been rubbing away the tears. Esme let her thumb gently wipe away a line of stray tears that grazed Rosalie's cheek. Part of Esme was surprised that Rosalie was okay with being this close to her without anyone else around, but she also knew that this is what Rosalie had been craving, even if it was subconscious. She had been trying so hard to block out everything else that she had ignored the screaming little girl inside reaching out for someone who would be able to comfort her. This is what Doctor Peters had been waiting for: the breakdown.

Rosalie looked up at her and in her eyes Esme saw nothing but a swirling blue abyss of pain. "There's nothing to talk about," Rosalie mumbled. "Nothing that matters anymore." She sounded distraught.

"I think there's a lot to talk about," Esme whispered, brushing aside Rosalie's bangs, letting her hand rest on her cheek. Rosalie closed hers eyes and for a second leaned against Esme's hand. "I think it just hurts too much to start," Esme told her.

Rosalie cringed away. "How would you know," she whispered. The question wasn't spiteful or accusing. It was just defeated.

"I know you're angry and scared. And I think you have every right to be," Esme said.

"Why do I have a right to be angry," Rosalie spluttered. "I'm the one who's alive. I survived. There were people on that plane that died that night: people who never made it out. Why should I get to be angry? I lived," she shouted. Then she looked at Esme, eyes pleading, shocked at her own outburst and shuddered.

"I'm sorry…sorry," Rosalie gulped. "What's wrong with me?" she almost moaned, covering her eyes with her hand.

"Shh," Esme hummed. "It's okay. There are going to be things you see or hear or feel that trigger emotions for you. You'll remember how scared you were. You'll feel all the pain. It's normal for that to happen," Esme said trying to calm her.

"But it's not the pain that I remember," Rosalie whimpered. "Or how scared I was."

"What do you remember?" Esme asked, encouraging Rosalie to open up. The girl just shook her head again and her bottom lip trembled fiercely.

Esme took a chance. "Is it your parents? Is that what you remember?"

Rosalie winced but nodded. "I remember looking at their injuries, wondering if they were life threatening." Rosalie stared at the wall instead of at Esme.

"Carlisle said they were in rough shape when they arrived at the hospital," Esme said.

Rosalie just stared and nodded, finally she turned to look at Esme, a new emotion swirling in the depths of her eyes: self-loathing.

"And you know what I thought when I saw them injured like that?" Rosalie cried. "I was happy. I was praying to God that they were dead. And if not, that God would take me instead…"

"Rosalie, it's not your fault that they died," Esme told her firmly, cupping Rosalie's cheeks in either hand.

"I prayed for them to be dead, Esme. My head was spinning. There was smoke and gas and fire." Rosalie gulped a breath of air.

"The seats were split, stuffing exploding like puffy clouds everywhere. Blood splattered the interior of the plane. There was skin and bone and faces, burnt faces." Rosalie was hysterical, rocking in Esme's arms. "It was horrible. And still I prayed for my parents to be dead. That was the only thought I had from the moment I opened my eyes, crushed between their bodies, to the second we were ushered into an ambulance. What kind of person does that make me?"

Esme held Rosalie as she cried. She smoothed her long hair, and pressed her lips to the top of Rosalie's head.

"I was a horrible daughter, that's why they hated me," Rosalie whimpered.

"Rosalie, the way they treated you, the abuse, it was not your fault," Esme said, punctuating each word with a short pause. "There is nothing you could have done to deserve being treated like that."

"But maybe…maybe if I was…" Rosalie shuddered. Her voice cracked. "…a better daughter."

"I used to think something like that, too," Esme said, staring at the wall now, her mind disappearing for a moment.

Rosalie stiffened and leaned away from Esme so she could see her face. Esme gave her a tender smile.

"You?" Rosalie asked. The little word held the questioning power of a thousand unsaid things.

"Yes," Esme whispered, taking both Rosalie's hands in hers. She squeezed both for Rosalie's sake and for her own.

"I was married once before Carlisle," Esme said on a swallow. She never thought she would be able to share this part of herself with anyone besides Carlisle. It didn't seem fair to place that burden on anyone else. But in Rosalie's case it wasn't as much of a burden as it was common ground. And as Esme mulled over the idea of sharing her worst memories with Rosalie, she felt an odd sense of satisfaction in the fact that after her all the pain and misery she endured at his hands, Charles' influence in her life might just be the one thing that brought her closer to Rosalie. She could relate to her in a way most other people would find difficult. Esme understood; she truly empathised with Rosalie's experience.

Esme cleared her throat, feeling a little hoarse. "His name was Charles Evenson. He was a mean man, but at the time I didn't know it. I was young and I thought I knew what love was. Looking back now it was only with a lot of prompting from my parents that I said yes to his proposal. My mother was so happy for me and on the outside Charles presented like a respectable man. In reality he was a monster.

"For three years I stood by as he used and abused my body, in any way he saw fit. I was scared. I didn't know who to turn to for help so I closed myself up, hardening myself to the world. I resolved not to let him see me cry, for it only made his temper worse. I steeled myself against the pain. I became an empty shell, a vessel, at his beck and call."

"What changed," Rosalie asked quietly. She bit her lip and clenched her fists inside Esme's hands.

"I was pregnant and I had decided to leave him. Charles found out and as I tried to leave there was an argument. He pushed me and I fell down a flight of stairs."

Rosalie gasped, pulling her hands to cover her mouth.

Esme gripped Rosalie's bed sheets, rolling and unrolling the fabric in her lap. That memory was the hardest to relive, knowing it was the moment that ended her child's life.

"The baby," Rosalie whispered.

Esme smiled sadly. "I was taken to the hospital to be treated and shortly after, had a miscarriage. Eventually after a lot of drama, Charles ended up in jail, exactly where he deserves to be. But even knowing he was locked away, I was still broken. Charles had left me in pieces. I was a fraction of the spirited woman I had once been. And the news that it would be almost impossible for me to conceive again, not to mention carry a baby to term sent me spiraling into a dark place.

"Charles had managed to destroy me and the one good thing that had come from our marriage in the same instant," Esme sighed.

Rosalie looked thoughtful. "What made it better?" she wondered. The Esme she had come to know was nothing like the person Esme was describing now.

This time Esme's smile was wide and genuine.

"I found Carlisle," she said, as if that explained everything. "He helped me see that I didn't deserve to be treated the way Charles chose to treat me. I didn't deserve the abuse, and neither did you, Rosalie. You have to understand that."

Rosalie sobbed, her shoulders hunched. "I feel like such a bad person."

"Your parents are dead because of an unfortunate accident. The fact that they spent their life mistreating their daughter had nothing to do with the plane crashing. But the fact that they abused you was not okay and you can't blame yourself for their death."

"But I was so happy. In the hospital room, when they stopped breathing. I didn't even try to look for a doctor. I just waited and held my breath. One minute, two minutes, five, ten. All I was concerned about was them coming back. I prayed that the staff was too busy to notice they had passed away. I didn't want them to be saved."

"Your parents were monsters Rosalie, and the feelings you have, the guilt, the hate, it's all normal. When Charles was sent to jail I was ecstatic at first. Then I started to think about everything he had done to me, to my baby, and I wondered why he deserved to live in a padded cell for the rest of his life when my child was dead. I wanted Charles to pay in more than just time behind bars, I wanted him to pay with his life," Esme admitted. "I know it hurts and I know it's confusing, but in time you will understand. You are a wonderful person Rosalie and you will get through this. I will be here. Carlisle is here. Doctor Peters could probably offer you more support but you have to talk to him."

Rosalie hiccupped and nodded.

"Will you try, Rosalie," Esme asked. "Not for me or Carlisle, or anyone else. You have to want this for you. We will support you through everything, but you have to want to take your life back. I'm not saying it won't be hard, but you're strong. Look how much you've already faced," Esme told her.

Rosalie nodded and muttered a small "okay". "I don't want to keep feeling this way," she sobbed. "Everything feels so heavy all the time."

"I know," Esme crooned. She hugged Rosalie to her chest and rocked slowly. "But it gets better with time. Confiding in people helps too," Esme whispered. "You know I'm always here, no matter what you're feeling, no matter when. I'm here for you, Rosalie." _I love you._ She didn't use those words because she knew it would be confusing for Rosalie. There hadn't been enough time to sort through all the emotions she was already fighting against.

Esme just hoped that somewhere, deep inside, Rosalie understood. Even though it was unspoken, she hoped Rosalie could sense that she and Carlisle loved her like their own daughter. They loved all the kids. Esme had been uncertain at first, wondering about the warm hovering fire that had been trapped constantly in the pit of her stomach for as long as she and Carlisle had known the kids, longer than just the time they had been in the house. It was similar to what she felt for Carlisle but different in a way, more protective and it had multiplied in the short time she had spent with the kids. She had fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with them.

When Rosalie's tears had dried and her sobs had calmed, her eyelids drooped. It had been a long day, ended by an emotional breakdown. Rosalie was exhausted. She settled down on her pillow as Esme tucked the comforter around her. Before she left the room Esme pressed a kiss to the top of Rosalie's head and whispered, "Sweet dreams." She truly hoped her night would be filled with happy thoughts instead of nightmares.

After closing the door behind her, Esme saw that the lights in the living room had been turned off. She followed the sound of Carlisle's footsteps up to their bedroom. He was pacing when she opened the door.

"How did it go?" Carlisle asked, rushing to her side.

"It was…emotional," Esme began.

"And?" he pressed.

She bit her lip, unsure of what Carlisle would think. "I told her about Charles."

"I thought you might." Carlisle offered a sympathetic smile and squeezed her hand. "Did it help her?"

"I think it might have. At least, it gave her something to think about. She needs support right now more than anything. I didn't know if sharing about my past was the right thing to do, but I think I may have offered her a bridge. And she seemed like she might be ready to take the leap. I hope now she is able to start the process of really healing instead of hiding behind her walls. We just need to love her. That's what you did for me," Esme said, searching his face. Somehow the tender look in his eyes softened even more and Esme felt like she might melt into his arms.

Carlisle pulled Esme flush against him with so much force that he stumbled back, both of them falling to the bed. Carlisle rolled so Esme was beneath him. "I'm so proud of you," he said, kissing her forehead, then both her cheeks, then her lips. "You amaze me."

Esme inhaled deeply. Being near Carlisle made everything alright. "She'll be okay," Esme said.

Carlisle nodded. "Rosalie's strong, just like you. It will take time, but we'll be there through everything. We'll love and support them all through whatever comes next."

Esme smiled at him, a small sob escaping her lips. Carlisle moved his hand to brush the caramel locks away from her face. He watched her as she watched him, their eyes mesmerized by each other.

"Carlisle," Esme whispered. "Did you ever think I was too broken to be fixed?"

"Never," Carlisle whispered back. "And neither is Rosalie."

"I love you," Esme told him as he laid gentle kisses across her forehead.

"Beloved, you are my life. Never doubt that I have always and will always love you," Carlisle said with a tender smile. He kissed her lips once more, the passionate embrace only breaking when the need for air became too great.

That was the first night in a long time that Esme slept in Carlisle's arms, not just because, but for the strength and support she found there. Carlisle knew the emotional toll the night had taken on Esme. He held her all night, whispering warm words of love into her ear as she slept. He truly believed that no matter what obstacles they still faced Rosalie and Esme had both made amazing progress tonight. And maybe Janice was right; it wasn't just about helping the kids heal, in many ways, having the kids here was good for them too.

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**Okay, okay, I know, two authors notes in the same chapter. It's an outrage! But since your reading this now, please leave a review. It makes me smile :) and for some strange reason it also makes me type faster, which means chapters get uploaded sooner...no pressure ;P Thanks for reading and the continued support. It means a lot!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello Readers...I'm super sorry for being such a delinquent updater. My sincerest apologizes. If I haven't said so before, I suck at time management and work has just killed me these last couple of weeks. Here is the next chapter. It's really just a bunch of smaller scenes that needed to be told for future chapter purposes. I tried to make is flow as seamlessly as possible but like I said, it's mainly for building up the following story lines. So anyway, enough with the blah, blah. I hope you like it. Drop me a comment if you want and I'll try to be less busy this week so I can upload again! (That's the plan anyway :P)**

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The next couple of weeks were busy building up to Halloween. Alice had decided that everyone would wear costumes for the big night and hand out candy. Rosalie and Edward had rolled their eyes but Alice insisted it would be fun and there was no point in arguing with her. Emmett was all for dressing up as a zombie as long as he got to chase small children and bigger candy hustling thugs down the block for fun.

For once Emmett was floored when Alice actually approved of his idea. She had been overly enthusiastic about it.

Esme secretly thought it was because Alice got to play makeup artist.

"Phssst," Emmett bragged, watching the zombie-fi-cation process over Alice's shoulder. "Edward doesn't even need that white makeup. He's already pale enough to look like one of the undead."

Edward tossed a towel at Emmett's head.

"Hey bro, watch it, Alice already dead-i-fied me. See?" Emmett gestured to his face.

"Yah and it's a real improvement to what's normally there. So don't mess it up," Rosalie said with a smirk, coming to help with Edward's hair.

In a weird way, with his crazy bedhead hair and strange hazel eyes, Edward made a very chic zombie. He definitely put all the others to shame. He was the supermodel of zombies.

After several minutes, Alice clapped her hands, satisfied with his look. "You're gorgeous," Alice sang. "Now scoot."

Emmett watched from the doorway, his eyes drifting to Rosalie with avid fascination. He loved when she acknowledged him directly, even if it was in a backhanded insult kind of way. To make fun of him it meant that she was looking at him and that made his heart pound.

"What?" she demanded, catching his stare.

"Nothing," he smirked.

Rosalie eyed him critically. "Come here," she said, gesturing to the bar stool in front of her now that Edward was gone. Alice had flitted away too, mumbling something about needing more fake blood. "Edward messed up your makeup." Rosalie tossed her hair over her shoulder. It had been curled and pinned up away from her face so Alice could do her makeup. A few strands fell from the elastic and danced beside her eyes.

Emmett had to contain himself from bounding to the stool and making a fool of himself. He walked with a slow swagger instead.

"Sometime today," Rosalie snapped.

He chuckled. "I'm coming, hold your horses."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. Emmett sat still for about thirty seconds as Rosalie applied the white makeup to his face. When she started highlighting darker shades under his eyebrows he began scrunching his eyes and making funny faces at her.

"Emmett, stop," she laughed. "You're messing everything up."

"I guess you'll just have to keep fixing it for me," he said with a smile. Rosalie noticed how his smile was always different with her. For some reason he always had these cute dimples when he looked at her, as if his smile was deeper.

She sighed a little before catching herself.

"There, now you're perfect," she said, dropping the white foundation on the table at her side.

Emmett checked the small handheld mirror. "Well, I'm not sure you can really improve upon perfection, but I have to say I don't look half bad," he said, turning from side to side.

Rosalie smirked. "Yes, you look truly grotesque now. I'm sure you and Jasper will freak out all the kids and scar them for life."

"That's the plan, thanks for the help, Rosie."

Emmett jumped off the stool and raced up the stairs searching for Jasper. Rosalie watched him as her heart sped erratically, which it always did when he called her by his nickname for her. No one else, ever, had called her Rosie. And she didn't know why, but if it was anyone else but Emmett, she probably wouldn't have let them.

Halloween went off with several hitches, one of which included Carlisle and Esme receiving half a dozen phone calls from angry parents with terrorized children. Apparently Emmett made good on his promise of chasing little kids down the block. Between the darkness and the fact that Alice and Rosalie were gifted in the gore make-up department, Emmett and Jasper had made it into the nightmares of several of the neighbour's children. Carlisle had a feeling that the neighbours were going to let their pets poop on his lawn from now on without cleaning it up as payback.

At least he never liked the snooty neighbours. L.A. was full of people that were full of themselves. Sometimes Carlisle wondered why they lived in a huge metropolitan city. He wouldn't mind small town life.

On top of the angry neighbour's debacle, Carlisle and Esme also learned first-hand, what happens when tiny Alice is given too much candy.

"I'm having a sugar rush," Alice screamed as she ran through the house, leaping and pirouetting over the furniture. It was already after midnight. The trick-o-treaters had long since retired and the candles in the pumpkins had melted into darkness. All should be quiet in the Cullen house, but it wasn't.

Rosalie, Jasper, and Emmett watched from the stairs in mock horror as Alice twisted and turned to music only she could hear. It was obvious that if she wasn't half delirious, Alice was a wonderful dancer. But right now she kept picking up the couch cushions and twirling them around in a jerky waltz. Emmett howled with laughter until Esme forced them to go to bed.

She could still hear Emmett snickering as she came back down the stairs. Alice was making another round of the living room. "She's going to crash soon, right?" Esme whispered through her teeth at Carlisle.

"I'm not entirely sure," he said, looking mildly concerned. "How much candy did she have?" he asked.

Edward appeared from the kitchen with a glass of water. He took a generous sip and cleared his throat. "She was handing out candy to the snotty neighbours with a 'one for you, two for me,' attitude so take your best guess."

Esme groaned. "She's going to be sick."

"Yeah, all over the living room by the looks of it," Edward chuckled. Alice was twirling so fast that her hair had formed a halo around her head.

"Maybe she has batteries we don't know about."

"She's not the energizer bunny, Carlisle," Esme huffed.

He smirked and raised his eyebrows. "I could sedate her," he offered. Esme pursed her lips, wondering if he was joking. She couldn't tell by his smile.

"That would only work if you could catch her," Edward said. "I vote we lure her into a closet with something sparkly and lock the door."

Esme chuckled. It was a good plan but before they had implement it, Alice had sat down at the kitchen table and promptly fallen asleep sitting up.

"That was easy," Carlisle murmured, watching from the hall as Esme coaxed Alice out of the kitchen and up the stairs with Edward's help.

Esme turned and smiled at Carlisle. "And you wanted to sedate her," she teased.

Carlisle smirked. "It was only a suggestion."

As November rolled through there were many things happening in the house. It seemed that the latter half of the year was always building up to some sort of holiday.

With Halloween out of the way it was now time to start thinking about Thanksgiving. After much debate Carlisle and Esme had decided it would be best to hold the holiday at their house since it was what the kids were most familiar with. It would be hard enough for them to meet so many new people; they didn't want the surroundings to be unfamiliar as well. Here they had their own space, their things. They were comfortable in the house.

Esme had no family besides Carlisle. Her parents had both passed away several years ago and she was an only child. Carlisle on the other hand had the kind of family Esme had always wished for as a little girl. From the beginning of her relationship with Carlisle, they had been wonderful to her.

With the help of the family pictures that covered the walls of the house, Carlisle spent several breakfasts explaining who everyone was.

"You know they look nothing like you," Alice pointed out, sipping her orange juice.

Rosalie nodded. "They both have dark hair, dark eyes. How did your parents end up with four blond haired, blue eyed kids? That's so strange."

Carlisle smiled. "We were adopted as infants." Jasper and Edward looked up from their plates. Even Emmett pulled his head out of the fridge for a minute. "Our birth mother was a drug addict that kept getting pregnant. My sisters and I were in foster care for a while until they could find a couple willing to adopt us all."

Alice was quiet for once, an errant thought catching her off guard. Esme watched her thoughtfully, but Alice had suddenly found her eggs very interesting. Edward looked over and bumped Alice's shoulder. She smiled up at him.

Carlisle continued pointing out pictures of his family, some more recent and others quite old, taken when he was just a chubby cheeked boy.

His parents, Eleazar and Carmen, would be coming for Thanksgiving. It was a miracle he had stalled them off this long. They had both retired early from good jobs and now wanted nothing more than to travel and spend time with their children. Upon learning that Carlisle and Esme had taken in five teenagers, Carmen had just about convinced Eleazar to cut their trip in Alaska short and fly to California.

Carlisle had convinced them to stay, explaining that the kids would need at least a couple of months to settle in. Carmen agreed grudgingly. She didn't want to cause the kids any more stress but she also had no grandchildren and seeing Carlisle and Esme with kids was something she desperately wanted. All of her children had made time-consuming careers for themselves, and although it allowed them to live comfortably, the family side of things had been put on hold. Carmen always knew Esme wanted kids, especially after what happened with her first husband, but a natural pregnancy was out of the question and it just hadn't been the right time to consider adoption. But maybe things had changed. Either way, she was ecstatic for them. It was a big step, but also the most rewarding. That she could attest to first hand.

With three daughters of her own, Carmen always assumed that one of them would want to be a mother. So far Kate was the only one married. Garrett was a good man, but he was in the military and they moved around a lot. That life wasn't the easiest to bring a child into. Tanya was far too selfish in her opinion, though she would never tell her that, to care for a child, especially as a newborn. She lived a high-fashion, privileged life in New York, again, not the easiest to welcome a child into. And Irina, the baby of the family, was in a constant on again, off again relationship with her boyfriend Laurent. She had commitment issues and just couldn't settle.

Still, the entire family was excited to meet the kids living with Carlisle and Esme and Carmen promised she and Eleazar would arrive a few days before Thanksgiving so that she would be there to help Esme with the cooking. That took a lot of the stress off Esme as she kept a running shopping list for the big day. It was still a few weeks away but no way was she going to wait until the last minute to enter the grocery stores.

Along with preparing for Thanksgiving and the arrival of his family, Carlisle was busy with driving lessons. Emmett and Jasper needed some refreshers but quickly had their licences issued so they would be able to drive everyone to and from school in the New Year. Alice, Rosalie, and Edward had all gotten their beginners', so the weekends were filled with afternoons spent in empty factory parking lots, where the least amount of damage could be inflicted. So far, the only similarity Carlisle noticed between the driving styles was that the kids liked to drive fast.

Alice swerved, out of the parking lot and onto an empty side street and Carlisle felt his stomach turn. His ears were ringing too, but he was pretty sure that was because they just his something.

"You totally just took out that guy's mailbox," Emmett laughed as Rosalie smashed into his side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder to hold her still. She was wedged between him and Jasper in the back seat, which was good because they acted as buffers against the whiplash. Edward sat in the middle row, directly behind Alice, being a backseat driver, and Carlisle clung to the door handle in the passenger seat. His hair was only mildly dishevelled from running his hands through it a million times.

"Oh dear," Alice squeaked, hearing the mailbox clattered across the road behind the van. She braked and they all flew forward. "Should I go apologize?" she asked looking at Carlisle.

"No way!" Emmett hollered. "Book it, Alice. Book it!"

Considering she was so tiny, Alice had a lead foot. The van rocketed forward again. Carlisle took note of the house number. He was going to have to send them a cheque.

"Alice, watch the lines on the road," Carlisle said, automatically reaching for the wheel as the van started to move from the right hand side of the road. The car jolted to the right, locking everyone's seat belts.

"Alice!" Rosalie shouted as her head bounced off Emmett's shoulder and ricocheted onto Jasper's like a ping pong ball.

"What?" Alice yelled back.

"Watch out for the squirrel!" Edward said suddenly, squeezing Alice's shoulder.

"Oh no," Alice squealed, seeing the fluffy tail disappear under the front of the car. She cringed, waiting for a splat. "Is it?" she whispered.

They all looked back, except for Alice and Carlisle who kept their eyes on the road ahead.

"Er…" Emmett said

"Uh…" Rosalie began.

"Well…" Jasper mumbled.

"Oh, wait, it twitched. It's alive," Edward shouted

There was a tremendous cheer that rippled through the car. On that note Carlisle thought it was best to call it a day, before the casualty count went up.

"How did it go?" Esme asked as the kids piled through the front door, talking excitedly. They plowed through the kitchen stealing cookies that had just come out of the oven and bottles of water before heading to the living room.

"Well, no one got hurt," Carlisle shrugged.

"I didn't kill the squirrel, Esme. It's still alive." Alice beamed before dancing down the hall after Emmett.

"I take it things went well?" Esme mumbled as Carlisle passed. He leaned over to kiss her. She felt his lips turn into a smirk before he pulled away.

"With Alice it's always an adventure. And I'm always glad to be back on solid ground," he joked.

"Tell me about it," Esme mumbled. "But I think she's getting the hang of it."

Esme paused. Carlisle's jaw had dropped. They both looked at each other, then burst out laughing. If anything, Alice's driving had only become more reckless. The squirrel population in L.A. was at risk of extinction with Alice on the road and the seniors were probably next.

When she wasn't coordinating driving lessons with Carlisle, Esme was busy keeping track of the kids. One of them always needed to be somewhere, whether it was a therapy session with Doctor Peters, Edward's piano lessons with Maggie, a dance class for Alice, or meetings with the high school guidance counsellor to start registration, the teenagers were always coming and going.

The one time Esme didn't have to worry was the morning, when she knew everyone was asleep in their beds, until one morning they weren't.

It was just after six. Esme made the usual rounds, checking on everyone as laundry was gathered. She could hear Carlisle in the kitchen, pouring coffee. Emmett was snoring, Edward was buried under a mountain of books, Rosalie looked peaceful, Alice was fidgeting, but still asleep. Jasper…he wasn't there.

Esme checked the bathrooms, they were empty. She ran down the stairs, whipping through the main level as she deposited the laundry in the washer.

"Hey," she said a little breathlessly.

Carlisle smiled at her. He moved to pull her in a hug but she caught him on the chest with her hands.

"Have you seen Jasper?" she asked, forehead crinkling.

"No, why?"

"He's not in his room." Esme bit her lip.

"Did you check—"

"He's not upstairs and I just checked down here," she said.

Carlisle frowned. "I was just in the garage, he wasn't there."

Esme chewed nervously on her fingernail and locked eyes with Carlisle. Then she turned, racing to the front door.

"His shoes are gone," she yelled from the front hall. Carlisle raced out behind her. Esme was tossing shoes over her shoulder, doubling checking. Carlisle caught a few pairs that were destined to collide with his head. He moved swiftly, catching Esme's arm before she dug through the floorboards.

"Where is he?" Carlisle wondered.

Esme shook her head, turning in his arms. "Why did he leave? When did he leave?" she whimpered.

Carlisle looked at the stairs. "Did he take anything?" he asked quickly.

Esme blinked. "I didn't check that thoroughly."

Carlisle turned and sprinted for the stairs, Esme was right behind him. Carlisle flipped the light on, staring around the room. Jasper's pajamas were abandoned on the floor. His ID was missing from his wallet as was his house key.

"He left his phone here," Carlisle said picking up the device from the dresser. "We can't even call him."

"Where could he be so early?" Esme cried, grabbing her elbows.

"I don't know," Carlisle said, turning from side to side, looking for some type of answer to their question.

"What should we do?" Esme whimpered. "Call the police?"

"He won't be considered a missing person until at least twenty-four hours and we don't even know if he _is_ missing. We have no idea where he is."

"That's the problem," Esme cried.

"Okay," Carlisle said, dropping his hands to his hips, "let's go back down stairs, make sure there isn't a note anywhere and then we'll get in the car and drive around the neighbourhood."

Esme nodded, on the verge of tears.

Then they heard the faint beep of the alarm as the front door was opened.

"Jasper," Esme and Carlisle sighed together, rushing back down the stairs.

Esme threw her arms around the boy standing in the front hall, still removing his shoes. She made an iron vice around his neck, standing on her tippy toes.

She shook with the unnecessary emotion that had been building up, small sobs escaping her.

Carlisle stood just behind Esme, arms crossed against his chest, sighing with relief as he took in Jasper's appearance. Running shorts and a shirt.

"Good morning?" Jasper said, voice heavy with confusion. He stood kind of rigid, shocked by the display of affection. Esme was still clinging to Jasper and Carlisle wasn't sure she would voluntarily let go.

"Jasper, don't ever do that again." Esme hugged him tighter still, until Jasper was sure his neck might snap.

"Do what?" Jasper asked, still confused. Carlisle opened his mouth to explain but Esme beat him to it.

"You were gone. I checked…this morning…room empty. Everyone was sleeping and you were gone," Esme cried.

Jasper seemed to understand, but it might have just been the oxygen rushing to his brain now that Esme had loosened her grip.

"I went for a run," Jasper said. "I couldn't sleep. I wanted to clear my head."

"Please just leave a note or something next time. I was so worried," Esme whispered. She didn't trust her normal speaking voice yet. It was too shaky.

"My apologies," Jasper said. "It's just that I'm not used to having people who worry about where I am or what I'm doing."

Esme smiled sympathetically. "I know you're used to doing a lot on your own, but you don't have to anymore and you scared us Jasper."

Carlisle nodded, with a shaky laugh. "Please just keep us in the loop. I think I almost had a panic attack."

Jasper chuckled. "Again, I'm sorry and I promise to leave a note or something next time."

After Jasper's early morning disappearance Esme was distraught, so all the kids decided to hang around the house. They noticed that she stuck a lot closer than usual, requesting their help with things she usually did on her own. Carlisle told them that she was just freaked out. The thought of having lost one of them, for whatever reason, had really scared her.

Jasper continued to apologize profusely, but Carlisle brushed it off. It wasn't Jasper's fault. But on the bright side, all the kids now knew to leave a note or a text if they left the house without anyone knowing. This eased Esme's panic and Carlisle finally convinced her to go out and do the normal shopping she had originally planned to do. He told her nothing would happen in the two hours she would be gone. Alice and Edward offered to accompany Esme to the grocery store and the bank, which made Esme agree easily. Alice was always a fun shopping partner.

Carlisle spent the afternoon with the other kids, having promised Esme that he would keep a close eye on them. He knew none of the kids would purposely disappear after what happened this morning but he didn't want Esme to think he wasn't taking this seriously. He really was. But they were teenagers. And there had been a misunderstanding. That was bound to happen from time to time.

In his attempts to keep a better eye on the kids Carlisle had gotten roped into a game of catch with Emmett and Jasper. Rosalie watched from the sidelines, a pair of black sunglasses hiding her eyes.

"Go easy on me," Carlisle said, catching the football. He winced, the breath leaving his lungs. Emmett definitely had an arm.

"No problem, old man," Emmett joked. Carlisle tossed the ball back. He could already feel his shoulders aching.

After a while Emmett and Jasper decided to practice their field goals. The first time Emmett kicked the ball it soared onto the roof and teetered against the eaves trough. Carlisle immediately began thinking up excuses to tell Esme.

When the ball tipped in the wind, falling back to the ground they all cheered, even Rosalie. Emmett and Jasper turned, kicking the ball away from the house instead.

"Aw damn," Emmett said as the ball flew over the fence.

They heard snarling and the ball wheeze as is deflated. The neighbours Jack Russell Terrier was a menace to society.

"Sounds like Killer got it," Jasper said.

Carlisle laughed. "I think the dog's name is Petunia," he said.

Jasper shook his head. "No, I'm pretty sure it's Killer."

"Or Decapitator," Emmett said.

"How about Terminator," Jasper offered.

"The good terminator or the bad terminator?" Emmett asked.

"Obviously the bad one," Jasper said, shaking his head.

Carlisle and Rosalie exchanged glances. Rosalie's lips twisted into a grin.

"I think I have another football in the garage," Carlisle said. "C'mon."

He thumbed the code for the garage and two massive sets of doors unlocked, rolling up.

Rosalie dropped her glasses in an instant, following Carlisle inside the garage."Why haven't I been in here before?" she buzzed as she moved in between the cars.

Carlisle shrugged, looking over his shoulder. "There was no need I guess. I always picked you guys up out front."

"Wow," Rosalie said, nodding impressively at the multitude of cars in the garage. There were antiques and new models that had barely graced the circuit yet.

Rosalie ran her hand along the length of one of the older models. "Are these running?" she inquired.

"Not really," Carlisle confessed. "I meant to have it fixed up. I just never got around to making the calls. Some of them have been here for several years now. Maybe they're beyond repair."

"Not at all," Rosalie said popping the hood to the old-style convertible. She peered inside. "What kind of engine were you going to put in here?" she asked, flipping her eyes to Carlisle, who seemed shocked at first.

"Um, not sure, whatever will make it run," he said. Carlisle had a thing for cars. He liked collecting them. How they worked seemed to escape him though.

"It would be cool to find the original parts that fit this model, but with something more modern you could actually take it on the road and rival the new convertibles in Italy. New leather interior would look good too, maybe white." Rosalie's mind started to wander.

Carlisle just stared at her, as did Emmett and Jasper.

"Are you kidding me?" Emmett said. "Hot, brains, and you know cars!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes, but smiled at the compliment anyway.

"I could work on this for you, if you wanted," Rosalie said to Carlisle.

"Do you know what parts you'll need? There are some specialty shops in town that you can place your orders at, as well as pick up the tools you'll need. I'm afraid that's not my forte."

Rosalie smiled. "I used to have a friend who owned a garage. I watched him work all the time. He taught me a lot. I could take this all apart, clean it, and put it back together again."

She looked at Carlisle with a tinkling smile. "This is going to be a beauty when it's finished," she grinned.

"I don't doubt it," Carlisle mused.

Emmett looked at Rosalie. "Sometimes I'm pretty sure you're just a figment of my imagination."

Rosalie crinkled her brow.

"You're too perfect," Emmett said and Rosalie blushed. She threw her hair over her shoulder to hide her cheeks.

For the rest of the afternoon Rosalie tinkered with the car, pulling things apart and explaining how they worked, much to Emmett's amazement. They made lists of the parts she would need and Rosalie scoured the garage, checking out Carlisle's tool supply, which was rather pathetic.

Rosalie called in an order to a garage that Carlisle had recommended and she and Emmett made plans to head downtown later in the week to pick up the parts she would need to start the remodelling.

Thanksgiving was exactly two weeks away, and though that would have kept Carlisle and Esme busy enough, it was finally time to address the paperwork that had been piling up. The phone calls from the lawyers had started up again and Carlisle couldn't put them off any longer.

He didn't know how the kids were going to react. After Rosalie's reaction to the memorial show on T.V., Esme was especially worried. They decided against doing a one-on-one discussion with each kid, instead making it more informal, with everyone present.

"Carlisle, you're freaking everyone out," Emmett said. They were all gathered around the dining room table. There was an eerie tension in the room. Jasper shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry you guys, but Esme and I need to talk to you." He swallowed. "It's important."

"Are you kicking us out?" Emmett asked.

"Emmett!" Esme shrieked. "How could you say that?"

Emmett shrugged. "Well Carlisle has gone all pale and he's sweating. What else would make him so jittery?"

The other kids looked around nervously. Alice's eyes were as wide as dinner plates and Esme felt horrible that they would even think that. "No one is going anywhere. You are all staying right her with us," she clarified. "Maybe we should have started with that," she said to Carlisle.

He gave her a small smile.

"What is going on?" Alice cried.

Carlisle snapped his head up and took a breath. "A while back Esme and I were contacted by several lawyers in regards to finalizing the details of the last wishes of your families." There was a heavy sigh. "As your technical guardians Esme and I will help you deal with the legal side of things but you all have some personal decisions to make."

Jasper relaxed a little, his posture loosening. Edward looked thoughtful. Rosalie's eyes had drifted to the table top. Her fists were clenched.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" Carlisle asked with an apologetic shrug.

Eyes drifted back and forth. Lips were pursed in uncertainty. "I will," Alice finally murmured. She was quiet, withdrawn. The normal spark that filled her eyes had disappeared and Esme's heart sank further into her chest. This was going to be a difficult conversation.

"My mom and I didn't have a house or anything so there shouldn't really be much to worry about," Alice whispered.

"Okay," Carlisle swallowed. He rifled through several stacks of paper and cleared his throat. "You're mom had a small life insurance policy and a little bit of savings. The lawyers have told us that it was put aside for your education."

Alice nodded. She knew that. Her mom had been putting away little bits of money here and there for about eight years.

"The money will be put into trust until you are of legal age or until your require it for school," Carlisle said, reading off an email from the lawyer. He scanned several lines and nodded. "Since your parents are divorced all her belongings have been entrusted to you."

Alice smiled pathetically.

Esme reached across the table to squeeze her hand. "I called the property management company in Biloxi that owned your building. They told me that your unit was cleared out to be re-rented but that all your stuff was put into storage there."

Alice didn't respond. Her eyes had glazed over and her lips trembled.

"Alice, hunny, is there anything you want to go back for?" Esme asked.

For a minute Alice said nothing. Esme wasn't even sure she had heard her, but then she nodded.

Esme smiled. "Okay."

"Jasper," Carlisle began, flipping through the next stack of paper. "There is a condo in Pennsylvania that your parents owned, as well as the ranch in Texas. We've been in contact with a woman there named Maria—"

"She's the ranch manager," Jasper said.

Carlisle nodded. "She said she's been keeping everything running as usual. But now you've inherited both properties, so she'd like to know how the new 'boss' would like things run."

Jasper smirked and tilted his head. He and Maria had always had a good relationship. She had been like an older sister to him growing up. He hadn't seen her for many years, probably since he was sent away to school and it had been even longer since he was at the ranch. But you couldn't squeeze the Texas cowboy out of him that easily. Even the stuffy military school hadn't succeeded in reforming him. He never lost his accent and he always grew his hair long in the summers, just to spite the school officials.

Jasper ran his hand through his hair absently, parting the dark blond locks that now reached his shoulders. It had never been quite this long, but Alice said she liked it, so he would never dream of cutting it.

Jasper sighed. He had known this conversation was coming, not just because he knew he was the sole heir to his parents' property but because he had sensed the obvious tension Carlisle and Esme had been fighting for the last week. It ran, like a sticky film, over his tongue, the metaphorical emotions weighing heavy on his mind. He was actually glad that it was finally out in the open. He would enjoy when the atmosphere around the house wasn't so emotionally charged.

Jasper exhaled. He had been mulling over this decision for a long time now. His future was set. He could move back to Texas next year, once he had graduated and turned eighteen. He could run the horse ranch that catered to high-calibre clients. Or he could let Maria manage it and move to the condo in Pennsylvania. Then he could go to school or get a part time job and work for a while. Either way he was set. He had options. But the more Jasper had thought about it, the more he knew nether of those options was what he really wanted. Not anymore. If someone had asked him several months ago, he never would have hesitated. He would have run back to the freedom he found in Texas and never looked back. Now he couldn't do that because when he looked back all he saw was Alice.

He didn't quite understand why the pull was so strong, but he knew he couldn't leave her behind. He wouldn't separate himself from her, not for anything. Somehow, at one of the worst points in his life, fate had brought them together and he wasn't going to mess that up. When he looked at Alice he felt hope. So where Alice was, that was where Jasper would be too. That much he knew.

He also didn't think he could leave Carlisle and Esme. They had gone above and beyond, striving to heal the wounds the world had inflicted on them. As long as they would allow it, Jasper wanted to remain a part of this unconventional family. Carlisle was one of the most compassionate people he had ever known, and Esme's ability to love anyone and everyone passionately continued to astound him every day. Jasper knew he couldn't say goodbye to these people. They were forever entwined in his life now. For them he would say goodbye to Texas, goodbye to Maria. It was time to start a new chapter.

"I guess with your help I'd like to sell the condo," Jasper began, "but there are some things there that I would like, and I want to go back to the ranch as well. Maria always said that if my parents were ever ready to sell she would happily take over. I think it's time for that but I want to do it in person. Maria was important to me growing up."

Carlisle nodded and Esme smiled. "We can do that," she said.

"Emmett—" Carlisle motioned to him while his eyes scanned another email.

"I have to go back to get Max," Emmett said before Carlisle had even spoken. "The house can be sold and I want to stop by the station my dad worked at. There are some things I know he kept at his work desk that I want to have."

"That was easy," Esme mumbled, scribbling on a pad of paper. She was working out a crude list of what each kid wanted. It was going to take some expert planning to make all the appropriate arrangements.

Carlisle cleared his throat again. "Rosalie, you've inherited the house in Rochester and a vacation home in Florida."

Rosalie shook her head, but kept her eyes glued to the table. "I don't want it. None of it. I don't want to go back…" she mumbled. Her voice was hoarse, holding onto a lot of pent up emotion.

"There's nothing you want?" Esme asked gently.

Rosalie shook her head, more forcefully this time. "Just get rid of it," she whispered. She stood quickly and left the room. Emmett motioned to stand but Esme took his hand. She knew Rosalie just needed a few minutes alone.

"Alright then," Carlisle said, "that leaves you, Edward."

"I want to go back and get some things from the house in Chicago." Edward said. He wanted his mother's piano and the books of sheet music that filled one whole book shelf. "But I don't want to sell. Maybe we can just clear it out and rent it or something."

Esme nodded in approval. Edward exhaled, somehow feeling a huge weight lift off his shoulders. Most of the other kids had wanted to part with any connection to their old lives. But he couldn't. He loved the house he grew up in. He wanted to keep it, maybe even live in it one day with a family of his own.

Carlisle exhaled as well. "Okay now for the hard part," he said. Esme grimaced at him, knowing what he was going to say.

The kids exchanged confused glances.

"It seems that we need to make a little cross country trip," Carlisle said.

Esme nodded, scanning the paper she had been writing on. "With stops in Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Chicago, and possibly New York if Rosalie decides she wants anything." Esme frowned, looking at each of the kids. "The quickest way to do this would be to fly."

As expected she saw several horrified expressions as the kids blanked. Alice was the only one who seemed indifferent.

"That's fine with me," she muttered. Jasper looked at her long and hard, and then he jerked his head. "Yeah, okay," he said. There was no way Jasper was letting Alice go on the plane without him. Edward was next to agree. He figured that if anything bad was going to happen, Alice would know about it. He trusted her more than he had ever trusted anyone, besides his own parents. And Emmett wouldn't let everyone else think he was chicken, so he shrugged and said "Fine", even though he still felt reluctant.

Carlisle smiled. "I'm really proud of you guys. This is a huge step. I know you've been working with Doctor Peters but I'm seriously impressed."

Happy smiles were passed around the table.

"Alright," Esme said. "Carlisle, will you take care of the flights? It looks like we have some packing to do."


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello Readers. I just want to say a big thanks to all of you who are still reading and commenting, especially since I have been lax with updating. I know I have horrible time management skills, so I spent the better part of this evening polishing off this chapter just for NyanCat122 who promptly reminded me today that it had been two weeks since I updated and who told me that if I didn't update before the tenth I would ruin their b-day! So here it is NyanCat122. Happy Birthday :)**

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A few days later, Carlisle leaned against the bedroom door, thumbing a stack of boarding passes, just as Esme zipped up her suitcase. "All ready?" he asked.

She turned, giving him a half-hearted smile. "I think so," she said. Her hands rested on her hips as she bit her bottom lip. It felt like she still had a million things to do before her and the kids left for the airport in the morning. Carlisle assured her that everything would be fine. He jokingly promised to make sure Rosalie didn't starve while they were gone and to start the shopping for Thanksgiving, but Esme still felt scattered. She shook her head. "How are the kids doing with their stuff?"

Carlisle smirked. "Edward and Jasper are ready to go, bags are by the door. I think they've both passed out for the night. But Alice won't let Emmett go to bed until she has repacked his suitcase. Apparently she didn't approve of the sweats."

Esme chuckled. That definitely sounded like Alice.

Carlisle noticed that even though Esme was smiling, she was worried. He could tell by the way her forehead crinkled and the fact that her eyes were darting. She seemed calm but he could tell her brain was firing a mile a minute.

"Love," he said, shutting their bedroom door.

He didn't need to say anything else. Esme knew what he meant as he walked towards her. He held his arms out as she melted against him. He hugged her close, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "I'm fine," she said after a minute. Nestled in Carlisle's arms, Esme almost forgot about her previous worries. Everything just seemed so inconsequential when he held her close, as if he was the soothing balm to her ache.

"You don't look fine," Carlisle whispered, brushing her hair over her shoulder before cupping her face. "What's bothering you?"

He cocked an eyebrow in that all-knowing sort of way that usually made Esme grin. But right now she knew she had been caught. "I guess I'm just a little anxious, that's all. The kids have been in this kind of bubble since coming out of the hospital. Now were basically throwing them back into their old lives and saying here, deal with your dead family's things."

Carlisle nodded. "I know, it's one thing to talk about it, but it will be an entirely different experience to actually set foot in their homes again."

Esme grimaced. "To be surrounded by their family's possessions, photographs, memories." She sighed heavily, knowing the heartache that can come from revisiting the past. "I just don't want to cause them anymore pain. How will they bear it?"

Carlisle exhaled, running his thumb along Esme's cheek bone, down to the edge of her jaw. "I know it's difficult to understand. I was surprised at first when so many of them wanted to go back so soon." He cocked his head thoughtfully. "I honestly figured we'd be making a lot of the arrangements over the phone and through email."

Esme nodded into his chest.

Carlisle pulled her closer still. "But remember love, none of them are being forced. They all made their decisions. They could stay here if they wanted, like Rosalie, but I think most of them need this. They need the closure."

Esme understood, but it did little to ease the worrisome ache. She wanted to protect the teens from anything that would threaten to hurt them and she wasn't sure she would be able to this time. "Did you talk to Doctor Peters today?" she asked, changing the subject slightly.

Carlisle could sense that the direction had changed for the time being, but left it alone. There was another reason for her worry, besides just the emotions involved. Carlisle had a good sense about what it was, perhaps even better than Esme did. He nodded at his wife. "He said it's a good thing that the kids are going back, even if it's just for a short time. He said that shows that they've made tremendous progress."

"And what did he say about Rosalie?" Esme wondered.

Carlisle tilted his head from side to side, contemplating. "He's not sure yet."

Esme frowned.

"He's not sure whether her staying behind is a good thing or a bad thing," Carlisle explained. "She's been really quiet the last few sessions so he said it's been difficult to get a read on her. He doesn't know if she's running away from something that she is too afraid to face or if she has finally just washed her hands of her past and is fine with moving on."

Esme frowned again, this time because she understood perfectly about what Doctor Peters was referring to. "I haven't been able to get much out of her either. She's been really quiet since that conversation, even a little abrupt. But maybe you'll have better luck while were gone. She seems to enjoy spending time in the garage with you and Emmett." Esme looked hopeful.

Carlisle shrugged noncommittally.

"Are you worried about it, being alone with her?" Esme inquired. Carlisle had seemed almost eager to spend some one on one time with Rosalie. Was he having doubts now? "Do you think it will be a problem?"

Carlisle shook his head. "I'm not concerned about me and Rosalie. I think this will be a good thing for us. She's come a long way already and every day she gets more and more comfortable here. If I thought she was going to be uncomfortable staying with me I would have swapped places with you in an instant."

Esme nodded. Carlisle watched her. "I still can if you want," he insisted. "I know this is a lot to handle."

Esme rolled her eyes playfully. "Carlisle Cullen, I am perfectly capable of handling a few realtors and lawyers."

"I know." He smiled.

"And you know very well that you have already made my job easy. All I have to do is show up and sign on the dotted line."

Carlisle smirked. "It's a bit more complicated than that, Mrs. Cullen." He backed her up until her legs were brushing the edge of the bed.

Esme noticed the familiar twinkle in Carlisle's eye and followed through on pure instinct, grabbing a fistful of his shirt in either hand. She tugged forcefully. With Carlisle's arms wrapped tightly around her waist, he staggered, off balance, crashing into her. Esme giggled as they landed in a tangled heap on the bed.

"I'm sure I can manage," Esme whispered, wriggling out from beneath Carlisle. She made to sit up, but he tucked his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She couldn't have moved away, even if she wanted to. And she didn't.

"I'm going to miss you," he murmured, his breath tickling her ear.

"It's only ten days. Then we'll be back, just in time for Thanksgiving," she reminded him.

"Hmmm," he said. "What was this important job you were leaving me while you were gone again?"

"Oh, right. I knew I was forgetting something." Esme ran her fingers through her hair, exhaling loudly. "That would have ruined Thanksgiving for sure," she muttered. "Well, maybe for everyone but Rosalie," she amended, whispering under her breath.

Carlisle watched her amusedly. "Love, perhaps you should tell me what it is that I am to be doing."

Esme chuckled, pulling Carlisle close. "It's a very important job," she whispered. "I know it will be a lot to handle, but I'm sure you can manage it," she teased.

Carlisle smirked, fingers moving teasingly at Esme's waist. "Are we being facetious, my love?"

"Of course not, darling." Esme squirmed under his playful fingers. "I have complete faith in you." She tried her best, but the corners of her mouth turned up into a playful grin and Carlisle's fingers busied themselves, causing her to squeal and laugh. Esme was very ticklish.

"Carlisle!" she gasped as he rolled over her, pinning her arms above her head with one of his own. She fought against her own bouts of laughter long enough to pry her hands from his grip. With desperation, Esme grabbed the collar of Carlisle's shirt, holding him steady as her lips crashed into his.

"You know a distraction only works as long as you continue to distract," Carlisle said in between heated kisses from Esme. She was fervently trying to occupy him.

"I can do this all night, Doctor Cullen," Esme said, running her fingers through his hair. When she hitched her leg over his waist he almost melted into her.

Carlisle matched Esme's urgency, running his hands over her thighs and under her shirt, feeling the silky smooth skin of her stomach.

Esme moaned into the kiss and ignited a fire that burned uncontrollably as they tangled in a passionate dance of arms and legs, snuffing out all thought until, at the point of no return, pure ecstasy and eventual exhaustion created dark bliss; then Esme turned to Carlisle, on the precipice of sleep and whispered, "You have to get the turkey."

Carlisle, on the verge of sleep himself, nodded and pulled Esme close once more, this time to feel her heart beat against his skin as she slept peacefully beside him.

The morning was more chaotic than was expected. It seemed that a never ending pile of luggage was being tossed down the stairs, accumulating by the front door.

Rosalie was pretty sure she had seen this before, maybe in a movie. For some reason Home Alone was imprinted into her brain, though it had been years since she had seen that film. She watched from the living room, mildly impressed as the boys formed a human chain, quickly moving the suitcases from the front door to the driveway. They worked tirelessly, as if they had been put on fast forward and then sped up even more.

Before Rosalie knew it, Alice was hugging her tightly, promising to text every day. She and Jasper piled into the back of the van with Edward. Emmett had called shotgun. Rosalie looked thoughtfully at Emmett who was leaning against the entrance to the living room. His tousled brown curls hung just above his eyes now. From far away, with his head tilted down, he looked a lot older than he was. When his eyes glanced up, finding her face, Rosalie saw the young sparkle that she loved. It was the carefree spirit that made him Emmett.

Rosalie stood slowly. Her heart pounded when he looked at her like that. It was as if he could understand every thought inside her head. The way Emmett watched her, it was like nothing else mattered in the world to him, and that made her feel weightless.

"I wish you were coming," he began as she approached him. He swung his arm unconsciously by his side.

Rosalie opened her mouth but he cut her off.

"I know why you're not. I understand. But I'm still going to miss you," Emmett said, deep dimples indenting his cheeks.

Rosalie tried to hide the smile that was forming on her lips.

"I'll miss you too," she whispered.

Emmett beamed and before he left his hand swung out and grabbed hers. He squeezed, not hard enough to cause her pain, but enough for her to know that he meant every word. He couldn't say it yet. He didn't know how or even if he should, but leaving Rosalie behind almost felt like leaving a little piece of himself. He sighed, knowing the longer he knew Rosalie, the bigger that piece would become.

Rosalie watched Emmett get into the van and immediately start to wrestle Edward and Alice for control of the radio. She knew if Edward had his way they would end up with something classical on, no doubt Clair de Lune on repeat. Emmett would probably find a rock station, but Alice would ultimately win out with some soft jazz since it was so early and she said rock before dawn made her brain ache. Rosalie chuckled under her breath, loving how familiar the little nuances, the likes and dislikes, of the others were to her. She had never had people in her life like that before.

But things were different now.

Rosalie turned as Emmett winked at her from the front seat, feeling a hand on her shoulder. It was Esme. Apparently Carlisle had finished filling her in on everything.

"Just wanted to say bye, before we left," Esme said.

Rosalie nodded. "Can I ask you a favour?"

"Of course," Esme said, slipping on her shoes. "Anything."

Rosalie nodded and swallowed. She hugged her elbows and Esme noted the unease in Rosalie's features.

"I know you're going to Rochester."

Esme waited.

"And I've been thinking a lot. And there is something I want from the house. Just one thing," Rosalie whispered.

"Anything," Esme repeated, taking Rosalie's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Rosalie exhaled. She didn't know why she felt so nervous. "In my room," she mumbled, "there's this mirror. It belonged to my Great Aunt and I'd really like to keep it. I don't care about anything else, just that."

Esme smiled. "Done." She stepped forward, pulling Rosalie into a hug. "If you need anything or if you just want to talk you can call me, okay."

Rosalie swallowed and smiled, feeling relieved, like a weight had been lifted off her chest. "I'll be fine," she assured Esme. "Carlisle's here. One of us is bound to know how to cook an egg."

Rosalie had tried to make light of the situation but Esme still stared at her for a moment, stunned. Rosalie had just outwardly acknowledged that she would be fine staying with Carlisle and those few words had warmed Esme's heart. She pulled the girl into another hug before hurrying out the door when someone laid on the horn. All bets were on Emmett.

The airport was as busy as could be expected for early Tuesday morning. Actually Jasper thought it was busier than it should be for the middle of the week but he suspected that some of the travellers were embarking on early Thanksgiving holidays.

Airport security went well. Esme was relieved when Emmet hadn't loaded his suitcase with things that would get him detained and no one set of the metal detectors. One of the TSA workers had glared from Jasper to his passport for an unusually long time but eventually passed him on with no problems.

They now waited at their gate with the few carry-on bags that the kids refused to part with. The next step was to actually get on the plane which didn't start boarding for another forty minutes.

"Hey Emmett, I have a good pick up line you'll appreciate." Alice bounced up and down in the seat beside him.

Emmett gave her half his usual smile. He had been dejected since leaving this morning, especially after saying goodbye to Rosalie.

"Are you from Tennessee, cause you're the only ten I see," Alice said, grinning like a kid on Christmas.

Emmett chuckled. "Rosie would have liked that one."

Alice frowned. "I'll have to come up with a better one," she said. "Something dirty, no doubt."

Jasper snorted beside her. "Come on; let's go get some coffee while you think up a dirty sex joke."

Alice stuck her tongue out.

"Fine," Jasper murmured dotingly. "We'll get chocolate milk for the non-coffee drinker." He wrapped his arm around Alice's shoulder and steered her towards a small specialty shop that was half-way down the terminal. Esme's eyes flicked up over the packet of paper she was rifling through. She knew the teenagers were old enough not to get lost in the airport terminal, but she couldn't help herself. Every time Alice and Jasper disappeared between groups of strangers her heart gave an uncomfortable thud.

She shook her head as her thoughts spun out of control. If this was how difficult it was travelling with fully functional teenagers how would she have ever managed with a young child? The though almost terrified her. She turned her head. Edward was immersed in a book. He looked calm. His foot rested on the knee of the opposite leg. His head was propped on his hand and his lips pulled into an analyzing pout. Esme turned, expecting to see a smirking Emmett, no doubt having a blast people watching, but to her surprise Emmett was about two shades away from being bright green.

"You okay," Esme asked him, gripping his shoulder.

"No," Emmett said through gritted teeth. "I'm freaking out and we're not even on the plane yet," he whispered, keeping his voice low so the others wouldn't hear.

"Doctor Peter's gave you that prescription to ease anxiety. It supposed to help you relax and sleep through the flight. If you're worried maybe you should take some now so it kicks in before take-off.

Emmett nodded. "He said to wait and see how we felt because some people find the thought of sleeping through the flight after a plane crash far more terrifying. But at this point I just want to be able to get on the dang plane. I don't want to be awake for anything after that."

Esme nodded. She pulled out an orange pill container and emptied two small tablets into her hand. "Two now and we'll see how you do."

Emmett stared at her. He tipped the container, shaking out an extra pill. "I'm like twice the size of a normal person. If this is going to do anything I need more than the normal dose."

Esme frowned. "I don't think—"

Emmett smirked at her. "Alice is supposed to take two pills, Esme. What does that tell you? Besides Carlisle said it would be fine."

Esme sighed. "Well I can't argue with a doctor."

"Especially one that is your husband," Emmett said. He took the pills, stared at them, then flipped his hand and with a gulp of water, swallowed them. "Here goes nothing."

Take off had been the worst part so far. Alice had gripped Jasper's hand so tightly that he actually winced. With her legs pulled up flush to her chest, she muttered under her breath the entire time the plane jostled as it climbed higher and higher, gaining altitude. Edward bounced his feet nervously, tapping his foot faster and faster until Esme was sure it would snap off. She placed her hand on his arm and he exhaled loudly, slowing the pace of his fidgeting.

Thankfully, Emmett had passed out cold a few minutes after boarding. He was snoring quietly, completely oblivious. There was a slap-happy smile pasted to his face. If everyone else hadn't been so on edge Esme might have snapped a picture.

After the plane had leveled off the teens who were still awake seemed to settle in. Edward had returned to his book with headphones in his ears and Alice and Jasper were immersed in a game of solitaire on her phone. For the twentieth time Esme looked over the itinerary Carlisle had printed up for her with all the places they were supposed to be in the next ten days and the names of all the people they were supposed to meet with. Without that little piece of paper Esme would be lost.

"Esme are you okay?" Edward asked, removing his headphones.

Esme blinked several times, watching Edward as he watched her. "You look a little flustered," he said.

"Oh, I'm just trying to make sure we don't forget anything. I definitely didn't plan on doing a cross country trip in less than ten days, right before Thanksgiving." She sighed, falling back against her seat, exhaustively.

"Maybe it would help if you talked through it out loud," Edward suggested. "And that way you won't be the only one who has to know where we are supposed to be all the time. I have an excellent memory," Edward told her. "I'll help you make sure we don't forget anything."

Esme smiled. "Thank you, Edward. That might just help."

Edward shrugged. "Saying things out loud helps commit them to memory."

"Well then," Esme said shuffling the papers around again. "First stop." She placed a paper in Edward's outstretched hand.

"Houston," he said nodding.

"We're there for three days," Esme said.

"Are we staying in a hotel?"

Esme shook her head. "Maria—the ranch manager—insisted we stay on property."

"She's good like that," Jasper said quietly.

Edward leaned forward. "Even if you didn't technically own it?"

Jasper smirked. "Even then."

"What's after that?" Edward asked Esme.

She rifled through some more papers. "Next we fly to Biloxi for Alice. We're there for a day, staying at the airport hotel and then we split up."

Edward furrowed his brow and Esme pursed her lips. "You and I are off to Gatlinburg with Emmett," she said to Edward. Then she turned to Alice and Jasper, "But you two are headed to Philadelphia."

Jasper nodded. "Don't worry Esme, Carlisle cleared everything. It will be fine. There is no use in all of us going to Philly; I just need to get a few things from the condo. It would be a waste of time."

Esme crinkled her brow. "I'm still not sure I like the idea of you two travelling alone. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Jasper waved her off. "It's only a couple of days and then we'll meet you in Rochester."

Esme nodded. "It shouldn't take me more than a day to deal with Rosalie's property. I have to go to the house and collect some things."

"Will you need help?" Alice wondered.

Esme smiled but shook her head. "You guys can all hang out for the day. I'll be fine. It's just one thing I need to have shipped home."

Esme's smile faltered. Internally she was nervous about what she was going to find. Rosalie had two requests upon finding out that she inherited property. One: she didn't want any of it. Two: when she learned that someone was going to have to enter her old house with the insurance man, she begged Esme not to let any of the others go in with her. She hadn't elaborated, and Esme didn't push the subject, but she knew there was a good reason for Rosalie's request.

"So we're going to Chicago after that?" Edward assumed.

Esme turned back to him. "Yep, we're there for two days. They we fly back to L.A."

"Just in time for Thanksgiving." Alice let out a low whistle.

Esme smiled nervously. "If everything goes well, we should make it home the day before Carlisle's parents arrive."

"And if not we'll be eating turkey sandwiches after the fact," Alice said.

"As long as Carlisle gets the turkey," Esme said with a grin.

Alice looked over her shoulder. "Did you tell him to get the turkey?"

"Yes," Esme said.

"Then he'll get it," she said. "Carlisle's good like that."

Esme smirked at Alice as she echoed Jasper's earlier sentiment about Maria.

"He _is_ good like that," Esme agreed. "Very dependable. I'd be more worried about him actually cooking it if our trip runs late. I'm not sure you'll want one of those turkey sandwiches."

Alice laughed. "Rosalie's there. I'm sure one of them will figure it out."

Esme tilted her head from side to side. "Carmen should be able to take care of things."

"See, everything will be fine Esme. Stop worrying," Edward told her. At that moment Emmett gave a gruff snort. They all laughed.

After about an hour of mindless banter, the teens slowly nodded off. Esme pulled out her laptop, catching up on some of the work she had been neglecting while the teenagers settled in with her and Carlisle. Some of her latest housing projects had been put on hold and her clients were getting antsy. There were several houses that had potential buyers but Esme had found it hard to divide her time between designing and a houseful of teenagers. She didn't mind though. If she could only choose one way to spend her time for the rest of her life, she knew exactly what it would be.

She looked affectionately at the kids surrounding her. In sleep they looked especially young and vulnerable. A warm tingling filled her chest as she listened to their even breathing.

It was the _fasten seat-belt_ sign coming on the broke Esme from her trance. She quickly shut down the laptop and shook the kids away. "Hey," she said. "We're getting ready to land."

Edward yawned lazily, fumbling with his belt. Jasper nudged Alice, chuckling lightly when she nuzzled deeper into his shoulder. He reached around her, finding the other half of her seat belt, clicking the two ends together before doing up his own. To Esme's surprise, Emmett was still snoring, his mouth now hanging open.

The landing was smooth and there was less agitation among the group, which Esme suspected was because the teens were closer to getting off the plane now. As the plane rolled up to the gate, the teens gathered their stuff, which seemed to have spread everywhere in the three and a half hour flight. Alice and Jasper spent a good ten minutes looking for one of her flip-flops which had ended up several seats behind them.

When the plane had finally stopped and the pilot finished talking, allowing the passengers to disembark, Jasper leaned across Alice to stare out the window.

"Welcome to Houston," Jasper said. He couldn't help but grin ear to ear and Alice swore her heart had almost jumped out of her chest. She loved Jasper's ever-present, stoic gaze but when he smiled…it was like a breath of fresh air had hit her. And hit her hard.

Alice squeezed his arm. "Are you excited?" she wondered. "Or nervous?"

"A little of both I guess. It's been a long time since I was here."

"It'll be fine, Jasper," Esme assured him. "Maria is really looking forward to seeing you again."

Jasper nodded. "That's the part I'm excited about," he said smiling.

Alice opened her mouth but shut it abruptly.

"Uh, guys. We have a problem." They all turned to face Edward who was frantically shaking a snoring Emmett. "I can't wake him up."


End file.
